


Tales of Tear Jumpers of Shinjuku

by Sage2001



Category: Digimon Tamers
Genre: Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 119,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24090646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sage2001/pseuds/Sage2001
Summary: In the future the connection between Digi-World and the real world has finally been streghtened. However, holes, the Digi-Tears, have been leading Digimon to Tokyo and have been threatening the balance between the two worlds. Follow the Tamers' offspring missions, as they collaborate with the new Hypnos. [Jenruki and Jurato]
Relationships: Katou Juri | Jeri Katou/Matsuda Takato | Takato Matsuki, Ruki/Jenrya





	1. Chapter 1

So these are silly auto-conclusive stories I've been writing for some years about some Digimon Tamers OCs/fanchildren me and a friend of mine have created. They still help me get better and better at english since it's a passion of mine!  
Anyway, the first two chapters are pretty short and are useful to introduce the main four. Nevertheless, the true stories start from the third and, be aware, there's not a chronological order, so these stories will be about them in their main three ages period (childhood, adolescensce, adulthood).  
Thank you to the Anons who have supported me so far! 

Note 1: Digimon belong to Akiyoshi Hongo.

Note 2 Some characters, like Makoto, belong to The Nomad, a great writer.

[•1 In which Yang's passion for cats is spotted and Itsuki tries to conquer his heart by complimenting him no stop.]

Yang Wen tried to crack a smile, when he heard the little cat in his arms purring. He had found it in a bin and had felt his heart aching immediately. Even though almost everyone thought he couldn't have feelings, Yang couldn't help but feel sorry for the cat; he often found abandoned cats in the streets, but he had never rescued a cat in a bin, and couldn't believe a human could do something so awful and cruel.

"Sssh, everything is OK, now," He whispered, sweetly petting its grey fur. It loved being petted and hanged on Yang's white cardigan with its claws.

He didn't know what to do: he already had a cat at home, and surely his sister wouldn't accept another one. He decided that, after coming back home, he would take a photo of the cat and post it on his secret blog, which had found home for a lot of cats. He winced, thinking what would happen if someone spotted him with a cat in his arms.

Yang silently yawned and continued walking on the lovely street, which was near his school. He had to admit Japan had fabolous landscapes: pink flowers everywhere, mountains, rivers...At least, there was a good point in living there, he thought, enjoying the rare quiet atmosphere of that place. He couldn't hear anything; sometimes the wind blew, but it was so fast that he couldn't catch its sound. Peace, that's what he wanted. However, after three minutes a strange noise ruined everything. Yang was a type who got annoyed easily, especially when something abruptly entered into his calm life. He kept on walking, but at the same time he tried to understand what was making that unpleasant noise: it sounded like a broken CD, which was continuing spinning even though it couldn't work. He shook his head: no, it obviously couln't be that. Maybe a trolley? He wanted to know the source of the noise, but he also knew he couldn't turn his head.

What if someone saw the cat?, he repeated in his mind once more. He absolutely didn't want his classmates to find out he could also understand cats. What would happen? They might isolate him even more.

Yang let the cat lay the soft head on his shoulder just like a baby, and avoided to think about his classmates. He noticed the noise was becoming louder and louder, like a train arriving at the station, and suddenly he realised he should get away from there. However, after two seconds the noise completely disappeared, and he found himsef turning his head from the right to the left.

"Ni hao, Yang-Chan!"

Oh, that was the source then. He didn't even have to move his head who see who she or he was; he knew that joyful voice well.

"Please, could you call me Wen?"

"I see. Y'haven't got used to our life style yet, have ya? Ya still want people to call ya Wen, since in China first names are precious and can be used only by relatives."

Lee Itsuki, class B, sixth grade like him. That was the nth time she was trying to talk to him that day. Not that he didn't want to talk to her, but he wasn't so accostumed with talking to people, especially girls.

"So ya want me to call you Wen?"

He nodded and silence followed. No, he wasn't good at handling conversations at all; nevertheless, she didn't stop talking; it was incredible she could think about a lot of topics to talk about.

"Y'know, this morning I've seen you during the P.E lesson: you're good at running, very good," She added, suddenly looking at the ground. They weren't walking on the lovely street anymore.

"T-thanks, I think."

She giggled and her little ponytail ended up on the head, giving her a funny look. Immediately, she pushed it in its right place by bending her head.

"Y're so cu-ehm, cool!"

A quizzed expression appeared on his face. She was always like that; she always began saying something and then switched a word with another. Maybe she was like those kinds of people who talked a lot and sometimes confused words with another one. He decided not to say anything, but she didn't want that conversation to end yet.

"Oh My!"

He frowned, doubtful, but after a second he froze, realising what she was pointing at with that too long striped sleeve.

"Ehm..."

"Oh, My God, Yang-Chan, what an adorable cat! Nya-nya!"

He just looked away, feeling ashamed, since he had forgot about hiding the cat. Did she have brain powers?

"Is it yours?"

"No..."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

That conversation was something he had to be ashamed too: it looked like a tennis tournament: asking and answering, asking and answering.

"Then y've found it somewhere: it's a stray cat!," She stopped for a second, violet eyes staring into space. "Are you into rescuing cats, Yang-Chan?"

His black eyes betrayed the fear he was feeling.

"Hm," She bended her head. "What's the matter?"

"Well..."

"Oh, Yang-Chan. Y're a cat boy: that's so cute!"

"Cute?"

"Yeah, you're so different from the other boys who would even kick some poor stray cat. You're becoming more interesting as the days are passing by. Lovely!"

The Chinese boy looked confused: too many japanese words in a few seconds, he couldn't elaborate them in his brain. Was she serious?

Yang-Chan, that's unusual! You're an ordinary boy with a rare soft spot for cats! Aww I lo-like you even more! As a guy...No, I mean as a person!" She was definitely out of control, he thought. She was spinning with her rollers like some kind of classic dancer, and the cat in his arms didn't like that fuss. He gently pressed its ears.

"Lee-Kun..."

"Geez, no, I'm Itsuki! What is Lee Kun?!"

"Lee-Kun, don't speak loudly. Someone...Someone could hear you," He whispered, feeling the blood rushing in his tanned cheecks.

Itsuki calmed down, looking at him carefully. That was creepy, he said in his mind.

"Now I've understood. You don't want others to know that, as you're afraid of being insulted even more."

Yang didn't know how to answer her. How could she understand how he was feeling?

"But Moumantai", She simply said, using one of the numerous Chinese words she knew. She really could speak Chinese well. "Y're yourself, and you deserve to be free. Unfortunately, I know the reason you're always alone, every child of our school knows. However, who cares."

He was speachless, like always but in that moment he couldn't speak not just because of his poor skills. He had always wondered why she wanted to spend her spare time with him, even if she had lots of friends, who were better than him. He would have liked to ask her for an explanation, but she started speaking again.

"Yang-Chan, we can't be friends with everyone, I've learned it myself. Nevertheless, there will always be someone who appreciate ya the way you are. I know y'll will find him or her."

She would have also liked to say, "Maybe ya have already found her", But she bit her tongue and slightly blushed.

"Lee-Kun," he managed to say. "I'm speachless," He admitted and Itsuki laughed heartedly.

"See? That's what people should like about ya: y're shy and adorable," His surprised expression scared her and she began wondering the reason why she had said that. However, instead of trying to fix what she had done, she stared at the cat.

"Yang-Chan, may I pet it?"

"If you-if you want, you can, but you have to call me Wen."

"What about Wen Yang?"

"I may accept that."

Itsuki petted the cat's grey fur with the long sleeves of that baggy cardigan she loved so much, and felt its heart bwating steadily. Yang looked at her and the cat, realizing he could feel peace and calm even with if someone was next to him. Maybe Lee-Kun wasn't so bad, even if she was japanese. She was a chat box, but was a good girl. Moreover, she was amazing at understing what people thought about. He couldn't believe he was accepting to talk to her more in the following days. He wanted to say to her Thank you, which was what normal people often said to each other; he wanted to ask her if she could take care if the cat, but in that moment they reached the park gate.

She stared into his pitch black eyes without fear and smiled, "Will ya tell me if ya find another stray cat? I like animals, especially cats. Then I love racoons, but also dogs, tanuki, penguins..."

"I w-will," He still couldn't believe he was normally talking to a japanese girl. Japanese children and adults had showed themselves as people Yang would never like to hang out with. He remembered his father's girlfriend's vanity, his mother's boyfriend's bravado, his sister's boyfriend's self-importance, and in the end his classmates' behaviour. Was Lee-Kun like those people? He didn't know that, but in the unconscious he hoped she wasn't.

"Yang-Chan, I have to go."

"Me too," He frowned.

Itsuki couldn't understand if he was serious or was joking.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Only family members can use your first name, I know. Sorry, Wen-Kun. Anyway, see you tomorrow!"

"See ya tomorrow, then," He said, showing how awkward he was at social relationships.

She skated to the park gate, but then she suddenly turned her head and shouted.

"Neh, Wen-Kun! Someday I'll be able to call ya Yang-Chan too".

It might be a day that was very far in the future, she thought, but she was sure someday he would realise she had entered in his life and had become a very important part of it.

"I'll wait for that future. I'll wait patiently."


	2. Chapter 2

Note 1: Digimon belong to Akiyoshi Hongo.

Note 2 Some characters, like Makoto, belong to The Nomad, a great writer.

[•2 In which Makoto goes through the St. Valentine hell, and faces two girls in a row for the first time in his life.]

"Don't you dare, Mako-Chan!" Itsuki leaned a little forward and gave a slight punch on Makoto's head.

The guy touched the hurting part and closed his eyes when he felt the pain spreading and increasing.

"Just explain me why. Just give me a reason!"

"Because I don't trust you so much," She said with a voice that sounded like the hissing of a snake. She narrowed her violet eyes, like if she wanted to underline that she was serious.

Makoto blinked for two times. He stared at her without saying a word, until he realized Itsuki had changed her expression: now she looked sorry.

"I'm not happy to say that, Mako-Chan, but we are talking about At-Chan. You have pulled so many pranks to her!" She shouted, rising her arms in the air.

The dark brown haired boy frowned. He was already getting angry, very angry to her, but he strangely managed to keep the calm. He had to keep the calm, so he could face Atsuko properly.

"Itsuki," He started with a hushed tone that hinted how much effort he was putting in staying quiet. "Aren't you the one who has been shouting at me for years, pushing me to be kinder and get more friends? That's what I'm doing now."

He looked at her with a smirk, and then took something from his schoolbag, "I'm going to surprise you."

The girl raised an eyebrow at the sight of the white and red box: it was quite long, but not so thick, and in the middle there was a sort of rose instead of the usual ribbon.

Makoto shrugged, "See? I even want to give her a present."

Itsuki looked at the box, expressionless, examining it with attention and trying to guess what there was inside it.

She narrowed her eyes again, suspicious, and gained a "What now?" from her interlocutor.

"What if this is a stupid joke?"

"I swear this isn't a joke," He answered her, putting a hand on his chest, solemnly.

"Hm...Open it in front of me, then."

Makoto shouted, and his teacher stopped checking the tests to glare at him for the first time. They had finished the lesson earlier than usual, since it was too cold. It was February, the 14th of February, and the large streets of Shinjuku were frozen: because of that a lot of people preferred walking than using the car.

"Are you crazy!? Do you know how much time I have spent to make this box so beautiful?"

Itsuki crossed her arms, staying still for a moment. Then she decided to give another punch on his head.

"Idiot! You had predicted everything! You're an idiot! I won't let you hurt At-Chan!"

He noticed that her hidden tsundere side was coming out quite quickly that day. They were making a lot of noise, Makoto realized, and some of their classmates, especially the girls, were giggling, amused. One of them, a short haired girl whose name he didn't even remember, approached their desks and started teasing them.

"Matsuda," She said, surprisingly without stuttering or being afraid of him. "Are you finally confessing to her?"

The other children started laughing loudly, and both Makoto and Itsuki felt their cheeks burning like fire. They turned their head not to see each other's face. Makoto wished he had a gun, one of those he used in his favourite action videogames, so he could shoot everyone. Who cares if he ended up in jail? He started imagining he was a policeman, a hero, with a very powerful gun capable to shoot a lot of people in a row. Bam! Bam!, he screamed in his head, pretending that at the end of the "fight" Itsuki was there, waiting for him to come and save her. What a perfect picture, he whispered with dreamy eyes. However, suddenly a realization hit his mind, and woke him up from his beautiful daydream. It was the 14th of February, so it was Day! He looked at Itsuki with his red orbs while she was using her oratory skills to get out of the spotlight of their class.

"Don't tell me you're jelous."

The girl turned abruptly her head, her little ponytail followed her movements, bending from the right to the left.

"What have you said?" She asked, returning to her tsundere mode.

"You're jelous. You don't want me to give the present to Atsuko, also because it's St. Valentine Day. It's OK, I can understand how you feel."

Her slightly tanned face became red, and Makoto struggled to figure out if she was embarassed or mad. That day she was acting like her mother, nervous and irritable; he weakly smiled at the thought that he was the only one who could get her so angry.

"Mako-Chan, only girls are supposed to give something to the guys during Day," She sighed: apparently she had managed to keep her calm just like he did some minutes before. Tentatively, with her long sleeves she took something from her purple backpack. "I have to show you something too, y'know?"

A little adorable sack with a red ribbon on its top appeared in front of Makoto's reddish eyes.

"I can't cook, you know that, but I hope he will appreciate the effort," She looked shyly at the floor and a shade of bright red appeared on her cheeks. "I've chosen a red ribbon, since he likes red."

The guy gulped. The strong disappointment dominated his heart and soul. How could I really believe it was for me?, he bitterly scolded himself. It was clear that sack was for Wen. He gulped again, and remembered he had to give his "present" to Atsuko. Both heard the bell ringing: lunch time had started, and everyone stood up and went out of the class.

Makoto stood up too, and slowly approached the door, looking sadly at Itsuki, who still had an embarassed expression. That Wen, he thought. Then he shook his head, trying to get rid of those bittersweet feelings. Why has anyone never told me about this day?, he thought again, Itsuki's face was still in his mind.

He headed to the garden, with heavy footsteps: if he wanted to meet Atsuko, he had definitely to go there. Actually, she was there, chatting with some of his classmates. Why was he doing that? What was he supposed to do there, after having approached her?

"I have to do this. It's a step to become friend with someone. Atsuko is a Tear Jumper now, so yeah I have to do it!"

The girl with the low light blonde pigtails immediately saw him, and she started shaking. Makoto sighed with desbelief, as she moved backwards. Her friends looked at her too.

"Atsuko," He started, but he didn't know what to say, and she hid her head with the white hands. She was shaking so much; was he so fearsome? Well, he was the bully of the school after all.

He stared at her for two seconds, blinked, and then acted like Makoto Matsuki always acted. He grabbed her arm and made her stand up, scaring her even more. After that, he began running, ignoring the "What are you doing?!", "Let her be!" of her friends.

The guy took Atsuko to his favourite place: the back of the gym building, which had become the tear jumpers' place too. He panted because of the long running and let Atsuko's arm. She immediately fell on the ground and start crying. He had startled her too much, he realized. He didn't know what to do; he needed Itsuki's help but, if she saw Atsuko in that state, he would be a dead boy.

He reached out, trying to look kind, but she didn't even raised her head. She stayed there, on the dirty ground, crying and showing how frail she could become, just like a china doll.

"Ohi, Atsuko. Stop being a cry baby," He said, but then bit his tongue. That was a rude thing to say. She cried even more, big tears going down her candid cheek.

Even if they had known each other for ages, it always ended up like that situation. I shouldn't be surprised, I always pull a lot of pranks to her, he admitted in his mind; then he wondered if Itsuki would have given him something during Day, if he had been different. However, a person could change: those were the words Lee-San said to him one day after a mission.

He decided to crouch down, slowly, and then put the box next to her.

"Atsuko, I don't want to do anything bad. I want to give you something...I want you to forgive me."

"You have already hurted me, my arm," Her voice sounded muffly.

"You're really as delicate as a flower," He mumbled, feeling the need to bang his head against the wall. Why was he there? He was losing his time maybe. However, the miracle happened. Light brown orbs met his red eyes, and she raised her head slowly, like a turtle who has finished its hibernation.

"I'm like a flower," She said, but something was saying to Makoto that it was a question.

"Well, you may have acquired some traits typical of flowers..."

"Really? Do you think that?" She slowly asked, finally adding the question mark.

"Yeah," Makoto stood up, tired of staying in that position, and, even if he couldn't believe it, Atsuko stood up too. That's luck, it needed just a compliment (it really wasn't a compliment though) to make her speak.

The girl got rid of the dust that was on her checked skirt and her green and yellow cardigan. "That was something cute to say, thank you."

"Ah," he scratched his head, wondering how could an insult become a compliment. "Anyway, what's the matter? Why am I here?" He noticed she was talking to him like she always talked to Itsuki: sweetly.

"Ah! You're right, I had forgot," He crouched down once more, and took the box.

Atsuko winced, surprised. "W-what is it?"

"I wanted to apologize to you. Hmm, because of the Leomon doll thing. Yeah, I know it happened last March, but I saw this doll only yesterday, and I thought about you and...Well, take it, now," He had just noticed how poor his vocabulary was.

Atsuko was speachless. Itsuki, come out, she thought. However, Itsuki didn't come, and she realized that Makoto, one of the tallest guy of the school, the bully of the school, was acting kind in front of her.

"C'mon," he urged. "I haven't got the whole afternoon. I have a lunch that's waiting for me!"

"Oh, yeah," She took the box and opened it. Now in her arms there was a pretty cute Leomon doll. She couldn't help but hug it.

"Thank you," She managed to speak, even if she was a bit confused. "I forgive you, just like I did with It-Chan."

"That's amazing, Atsuko. I was feeling so guilty, even after so many months."

"I really cared for that doll, but now I have got this one, and nobody will rip it," She whispered, her shyness taking over her.

"Sure, nobody will," He yawned. "Anyway, I've to go now. Everything is solved, except my lunch, so bye, Atsuko. See you again at Hypnos," That was too much talking. He had strained himself a lot, and he wasn't in the mood for saying bye bye properly.

So he simply dashed away, letting her confused and with a bad headache. She had to find Itsuki, as she knew she was behind that, definitely. However, her confusion and headache increased when her best friend told her she didn't want Makoto to give her that present.

"So it really was a doll, huh?"

"Yeah, now you owe me an apologize I will never forget," Makoto said, with the hands behind his head. He was lying on the grass of the Shinjuku Park.

"You're right, here you are. I had forgot to give you this."

Makoto opened his jaw in disbelief, when Itsuki put into his hands a sack of biscuits with a blue ribbon on the top. Was this a reward from Kami-Sama for having been good?

"Are they poisoned?" He joked.

"Idiot!" She could only say, but she was happy that he had changed a little bit. A little bit though.


	3. Chapter 3

[ •3 In which Makoto throws Itsuki in his future rival in love's arms, and Yang Wen can't believe he has saved a skydriver falling down the sky.]  
They couldn't keep their eyes open. They couldn't walk and run away. They couldn't do anything but sit down and stare at the huge creature in front of them. Makoto hated it when he had to stay still and do nothing. It was boring, but most of all it made him feel useless. He turned his head from the left to right and saw his Spadamon lying on the weird ground with a painful expression.  
"Ohi, Spadamon! Behave like a real Digimon, or I'm going to make you stand up with my fists!" He shouted, not caring about the strong wind that was blowing. "Spadamon!" He shouted once more, but the little blue lion didn't answer him.  
He growled, menacing, and glared at the Parrotmon which was the cause of the numerous wind shears. He tried to stand up, but someone grabbed his arm and pushed him in the opposite direction. Makoto abruptly turned and met Itsuki's worried eyes.  
"Please, don't move. It will get angrier and angrier!"  
"No way! We are Tear Jumpers, have you already forgot?" Crawling, he slowly approached his Digimon. "Have you forgot you are my Digimon, my partner?" He took his Digivice and put it near its eyes.  
"Mako-Chan..." Itsuki sighed, as the wind increased. She started thinking over, looking at Parrotmon like if she wanted to study every movement it made.  
That was the first time they had to fight against a Digimon in the real world, and it was so different from the kind of battles they had in Digiworld. There, the Digimon were everywhere, and they could count on the Digievolutions of their partners. On the other hand, in the real world nobody was meant to combat a digital creature; nobody was meant to get into a Digi-Tear.  
The girl widened her purple eyes as an awful realization hit home: what would happen, if they ended up in Digiworld again? What would her Dad do? Would he be able to bring them back like some days before? She shook her head, feeling a shiver running down her spine. They had to do something.  
"Mako-Chan!" She called her friend.  
"What is it? I'm busy," He responded, apathetic. He couldn't stand the fact his Digimon was a coward. It's just a parrot that's bigger than usual parrots, he thought.  
She tried to bear the wind, and looked at Parrotmon again. There was a sort of barrier Lunamon had managed to create not to let it get closer to them; however,  
Itsuki knew Parrotmon would break it soon.  
"Mako-Chan! Listen to me! We have to run away!"  
"What?! Have you lost your brain? The battle has just started!" He stared at her with disbelief, while he was pushing and shoving Spadamon.  
She huffed heavily: why did he have to be so stubborn?  
"Lunamon, what should we do?" She whispered to her Digimon, which had been in her arms the whole time, shaking, on the edge of tears.  
"It's so scary!" It cried, and Itsuki let another sigh come out of her mouth, but nobody could hear it.  
The wind was getting higher an higher and they didn't know how to act.  
"Daddy...Mommy..." She said with a hushed tone. "Will I be able to see you again?" She asked herself.  
Makoto hadn't given up yet. He wanted Spadamon to battle in that moment, immediately. He felt so proud when it defeated a very powerful Digimon during their journey in Digi-World.  
"Mako-Chan!" Itsuki tried again, this time without hiding her fear.  
The guy turned, surprised because of her tone, "Itsuki?"  
"Can't y'understand we should get out of here before the Digi-Tear absorb us once more?! Do you want to go to Digiworld and miss your parents again?"  
She calmed down, and began breathing steadily.  
"Absorb?" Makoto said, confused. "What are you talking about?"  
Itsuki opened her mouth to answer him politely, but a noise interrupted her. They turned and then froze: Parrotmon had just broken the barrier.  
"That's no good," He muttered, and finally Spadamon stood up.  
"That's what I was talking about," Itsuki sighed for the nth time in the day, but everything was pointless: Makoto was made in that way, and she had to appreciate him the way he was.  
Parrotmon was expecting that moment. Actually, after Lunamon's barrier had been demolished, it spread its wings and created a wind, which was stronger than the previous one.  
Makoto and Itsuki screamed when they realized it was impossible to run away. Both hugged their Digimon tightly and didn't even try to combat. They were aware of the seriousness of the situation.  
However, suddenly, two strange holes appeared in the blue space of the Digi-Tear.  
"What is that?" Makoto shouted as loudly as he could.  
"I don't know. Maybe they are other Digimon Tears.  
"Which one should we get into?"  
"I'm sure it's better, if we reach the first one. It's bigger and we can get into that more easily."  
"Ok, then."  
The guy tried to open his reddish eyes, but failed. He could feel the wind becoming stronger and stronger: it would have been able to lift a house, he thought.  
Makoto stared at the hole, which was going to be the only way to come back home. He had to jump and they would be safe.  
However, the confidence he had just got became fear, when he heard Itsuki calling his name, scared.  
"It-Chan!" He shouted, when he saw the girl was ending up in the other hole because of the wind. "It-Chan, hold on!" His heart was beating very fast. He didn't want to lose her. He couldn't lose her. "It-Chan!" He was screaming and shaking now.  
Fortunately, he managed to grab her hand, and Itsuki smiled at him in the sweetest way he had ever seen.  
"I'm glad," He whispered, but the wind hit him hard and he accidentally let her hand go.  
"It-Chan!" Both Lunamon and Makoto shouted, but they couldn't see the girl anymore. They had entered in the other hole wkthout realizing it.  
Itsuki could feel air scrambling her ponytail. It was a suggesting feeling she had never experienced in her life. She thought it was also funny.  
"What is it?"  
She opened her eyes and felt the urge to yell. She was falling down the sky quickly, very quickly.  
"Oh, My God," She muttered, but she couldn't see anything. "This is so cool!" She couldn't figure out if she was frightened or excited.  
She decided to put her technological goggles on. The map of Shinjuku appeared in front of her eyes. Great, she thought, amazed by the way she was handling the situation. She zoomed. Hopefully, she discovered she was going to fall on a tree. "Thank you, goggles. Thank you, map."  
She preapered herself for the collision, and closed her eyes, imagining the pain she would feel: she was ready. However, she didn't feel pain, she didn't feel her bones cracking. She just felt a rustle of leaves, and in the end something soft engulfing her.  
"What the...?!" She heard and opened her amethyst spheres. A guy was looking at her with his mismerizing black eyes: he had a confused and embarassed expression; his tanned cheeks became red in a few seconds.  
"So cute," She spoke, without thinking.  
"A skydiver?" He answered with another question, and it was obvious he was extremely surprised.  
Itsuki realised he was carrying her like how a princess would be carried, and her heart started beating fast.  
They stared at each other in silence: she was daydreaming about that adorable guy who had saved her, while he was looking at her with a quizzed expression, thinking about the fact that a girl had just fallen down the sky. She was a skydriver, he insisted, she was even wearing a pair of goggles. What kind of girl would wear a pair of goggles?  
"Hm," He managed to say and gently put her on the ground. "A-are you feeling alright?"  
"Yes, thank you," She answered, still in her daydream in which everything had become pink and full of rainbows and ribbons.  
"Miss Skydiver, be-be careful next time," He stuttered, and then waved her goodbye, rushing. He wasn't good at talking to other people, especially japanese people. Moreover, that event had been too strange. He didn't even know how he had managed to take her in time. He kept on walking and hoped that girl would only remain in his memories. It's better if I don't stay with Japanese people too much, he reminded himself.  
Meanwhile, Itsuki had still her goggles on and was experiencing her first crush, even though she couldn't fully understand it. She sat on the grass and tried to remember every part of that boy's particular face. She touched her striped cardigan: he had touched it with his caring and strong hands.  
Makoto managed to find her and ran as fast as he could to pick her up.  
"It-Chan!" He sat next to her and took her goggles to check if she ok. "I'm so glad. Lunamon and me was so worried, but we have fortunately found you in a short time."  
Makoto stood up and offered his hand to help her do the same, like he always did.  
"You're fine, aren't you?"  
"Yes, I am," She answered. She realised that guy had asked her the same thing a minute before and had made her heart melt like ice.  
"Mako-Chan, I have to tell you about how amazing my adventure was!"  
"Eh?"  
When they reached the Matsuda bakery and Itsuki finished telling her story, Makoto felt the need to grabbind her hand. Obviously, Itsuki was surprised.  
"What is it?"  
"Uhm, it's just that..."  
"You what?" She looked at him with innocent eyes.  
"I...Nothing," He decided not to tell her about his fear to lose her again. "Nah, it's not worth," And dashed away like always.  
"Not bye-bye, I guess," Itsuki told herself, lightly laughing.  
That day nobody knew what would happen in the future. Yang Wen didn't know he would meet Itsuki again and would become a "skydriver" too; Itsuki didn't know that guy would join The Tear Jumpers someday; and Makoto didn't even imagine Yang Wen would become his rival in love and at the same time the friend he had never had before.  
However, these are other stories about The Tear Jumpers of Shinjuku.


	4. Chapter 4

[ •4 In which the real team is given light and Jenrya Lee gets defeated by Makoto's unstoppable temper; don't expect a battle and a following rescue that will resolve everything: these children have to grow up without relying on those expedients.]

They had failed. They had failed once more. Makoto couldn't stand that embarassing situation: he wanted to give countless punches on something, a wall, maybe. His anger was so raging that he could have gone to a supermarket and broken everything which was near him, if he had been allowed to do that.

The man had been staring at the trio for an eternity. The guy couldn't understand how much time had passed: minutes? Hours? He wished the man would stop staying in silence. It was annoying and it made him even more impatient. Makoto, tired of standing still, yawned noisily, pushing Itsuki and Yang to give a pretty eloquent pat on his shoulder. He silently growled; why were they so scared? They always acted like a pair of mouses, always hiding, whimpering, and that was the reason why they were there, in front of that man, waiting for a word from him at least. Why were they so frightened? Makoto looked at the man again and suddenly felt chills down his spine. Lee-San was a dear friend of his parents' and he would act like a very nice and kind person whenever he and his family visited them. However, at Hypnos the kind man would leave his gentle attitude to become an extremely serious director. Makoto found himself trapped in his sight. Those grey eyes, he told himself. Those warm and wise eyes that at the same time were as cold as the mere ice. Those grey eyes, he realized, amazed, were able to penetrate in the soul,read the mind, plumb the depths of the unconscious aiming to discover the most hidden fears.

The trio comically straightened their backs like little soldiers, when the man finally finished his endless thinking and decided to speak.

"I suppose you are ready to apologize, aren't you?"

They didn't answer. Even though he was her father, even Itsuki looked a bit scared.

The man pushed them, "So?"

Silence again. They kept their head down, terrorized of meeting his grey eyes. Makoto couldn't stand that he was copying his companions' actions; it's just a pair of eyes, a pair of grey eyes after all, he mentally punched himself on the head.

Lee sighed and passed a hand through his dark hair. He gave a glance to the part of the large desk on which there were his glasses: he had to think before speaking, he had to weigh his words, especially because he didn't want to startle his precious Itsuki; he was sure she didn't mean to enter into a Digimon fight along with those boys. It was blatant.

"Have you realized the trouble you were getting in was quite serious, right?"

They nooded at the same time.

"Have you realized that you and your Digimon were about to be kil-caught by that Devimon?"

They nooded again. Lee sighed again.

"Then, why have you entered into that Digi-Tear against my orders?"

Makoto couldn't stay quiet anymore.

"Because we are Tear Jumpers! That's why!" He turned his head to the glass door behind which Spadamon, Coronamon and Lunamon were with his uncle, Katou Masahiko. "We have got Digimon! What's the point in having a Digimon if we can't use ours?"

Lee slightly narrowed his eyes.

"That's true. You have got Digimon, but that doesn't mean you have to risk your life because of them. You are still young to do that. Moreover, we have already chosen a squad of Digimon Tamers, which had to resolve the problem. They were on their way, when you three jumped into that Digi-Tear."

The guy tried to stay calm. It was difficult, but he was in front of the Director of Hypnos, his parents' dearest friend. Makoto looked at the other two guys, who were still keeping their head down.

"Lee-San, why do you always rely on that squad?"

"They are eighteen. They are older than you and they have been training for years."

"Train me, then," He increased the tone of his voice, making Yang and Itsuki raise their heads.

"You are just eleven."

"And so?"

"And so, you are too young. I think you can understand this fact without any problem."

Lee turned his head to Yang, who immediately started shaking like a leaf. Codward, so lame, Makoto thought. How could he be considered a vertebrate, he wondered, not realizing how rude that sentence was.

"Wen Yang," Lee started. "Do you want to say anything else?"

The guy didn't answer, and both Makoto and the man sighed. Instead, Itsuki put a hand on his white cardigan and started rubbing it, trying to comfort him. However, Yang immediately got slighty away from her, feeling very uncomfortable. This could only irritate Lee, who was giving his best to let his daughter near that guy. He didn't like that situation, he admitted to himself; his dear Itsuki had ended up being those boys' victim. How could his dear and pure Itsuki enjoy herself being with those two and risking willingly her life?

He cleared his throat, breaking the silence that engulfed the room.

"It, you can go back home, if you want to."

"Daddy..." Itsuki didn't know what to say, but she didn't have to think over about it, since Makoto exploded.

"That's it! That's it! That's it, Jen-San. How could I be so blind?! It's Itsuki the real reason why you don't want us to be Tear Jumpers!" He shouted, suddenly passing from calling the man by his surname to using his first name.

"What are you talking about?" Father and daughter said at the same time, while Yang merely raised an eyebrow.

"It's so obvious! If Itsuki hadn't been a Tear Jumper, you would have let me to be a Tear Jumper, Uncle Jen!" He stated, now calling him by the name he had been using since he was born.

Lee was stockstill, his eyes mirrored everything he was feeling in that moment. Makoto had hit in on the head, and he couldn't get mad at him since he was right. He didn't absolutely want his daughter to experience what he had experienced, to be a proper Digimon Tamers. He couldn't just see his daughter fighting along with Lunamon against some fiery Digimon. He couldn't and didn't intend to imagine their daughter spinning in a digital hole like he did when he was a child, being sent to a random zone of Digiworld just like what happened to Ruki when they were ten. Oh no, she was his pride, his joy, the most expensive jewel he had and would never sell. However, was it a fault? Did it have to be considered a fault, even if he was just a father who wanted the best for his daughter?

He sighed for the nth time, when Makoto reminded him he had been a Digimon Tamer a lot of years ago. Then why did he have to act like this?

"Makoto, listen, I can see your point, but you are kids, and you aren't forced to join those battles. When your parents, me and Ruki was Digimon Tamers, we were the only one who could do that; the only one who could destroy the D-Reaper."

"The D-Reaper," Yang whispered absently, and Lee nodded energically.

"Yes, Wen Yang, the D-Reaper," Then he turned his head to Makoto again: it was like if they were playing tug of war with their eyes, "rebel red vs wise grey".

"Uncle Jen, would you have saved me if I had been the only one who accidentally ended up in Digiworld?"

"Of course, what are you-"

"You did that just for Itsuki, but now you can breathe a sigh of relief: Itsuki has always been useless. Lunamon can't do anything, it's shy and always runs away from fights. I can say the same about Wen: he is a mouse, who constantly hides in holes. I can spare her, and even him. I'll be the best Tear Jumper of the world someday, and I'll achieve my biggest dream withou them."

A frightening silence followed. Makoto was out of breath and felt proud of himself, but soon faced the consequences of his actions.

Itsuki approached him, keeping her head down. Another moment of silence and then the sound of a slap echoed in her father's "office".

"Ma-Ma-Makoto, that's the worst thing you could say. Y'know how I care for you? Y'know how I enjoyed being with you, being a group, a team?! You're so stupid, I hate you! Don't you even dare to insult my Lunamon or Yang! I can't believe-I can't-I..."

Lee immediately stood up and reached his daughter, who was clearly beginning crying.

"Daddy, I'm OK. Moumantai," She said, gently pushing him away. "I'm going back home."

"Are you rea-"

"I'm OK," She repeated and took her backpack. She silently went out. "C'mon, Lunamon. Let's come back. Bye, Katou-San."

That was the beginning of a dark path, Yang knew that. However, he stood still, looking at Makoto, who was clearly stunned. He was surprised Lee-San hadn't scolded him yet.

"Lee-Senpai, what happened?" Masahiko Katou asked, clumsly running to his mentor, followed by Coronamon and Spadamon.

"Maybe I was wrong,"It was the only thing he managed to say. "Maybe Itsuki was really excited about being a Tear Jumper after all..."

He approached Makoto, and Yang closed his black eyes, terrorized of what Lee was going to do. On the other hand, the man crouched down and put a hand on Makoto's shoulder.

"Makoto, just reflect," And he left the office in order to deal with Hypnos' everyday matters; Masahiko ran after him like always.

Lee was a man of few words, he knew it. Makoto knew how wise, how kind he was. He knew he was open to give advices to whoever needed them. He knew he was a person everyone could talk easily to, since he never judged, but just tried to provide advice: everyone could accept or refuse his advices, it didn't matter to him. However, we are talking about his daughter now, so Makoto obviously found Lee's behviour strange, since he didn't scold him like he always did. Makoto couldn't neither understand if he was mad, nor if he was upset: the mirror of his eyes had suddenly become opaque.

The boy groaned: what did he have to do? He realized Yang had already gone back home too, and he realized he was all alone.

"Spadamon, let's go."

The following day came soon and Makoto arrived at his school, not caring about what happened the previous day. He trotted into the room in which students had to exchange their shoes, and saw Itsuki.

"It-Chan! It-Chan! Good morning!"

However, she didn't answer.

"It-Chan, hey, It-Chan!" He tried again.

Itsuki approached him and he felt his heart beating fast.

"Oh, It-Chan, I was afraid you-"

He froze. Itsuki had chosen another shelf to put her shoes on; a shelf that was far from Makoto's one; far from the one they had been sharing since when they started the elementary school: six years. That wasn't something an ordinary boy or girl would worry about, but Makoto really cared about it, about the fact that they shared something together. He wanted to share everything he could with her, starting from shoes.

"Itsuki!" He reached her. "Why did you put your shoes there...?"

She didn't answer. Again. Indeed, she didn't even stop walking. Makoto sighed: when Itsuki was angry, she would always act like that: passive anger, he called that behaviour in this way.

Makoto hoped she would calm down soon, because he needed to talk to her, he needed to hear her joyful voice that would totally wake him up everyday. So he stared at her the whole morning, hoping she would approach him and smile to him with her bright teeth. She didn't, unfortunately.

Who cares, Makoto brought himself to think again, and headed to their special place, the back of the gym. Itsuki wasn't there. Yang wasn't there. He was alone again. She will come, he told himself. He will come, he told himself. They didn't come.

"Oh what the hell!" He shouted. "How can they be so prickly!"

He sat on the ground, waiting for Yang to arrive, silently and quietly. He had brought that videogame about planes Yang liked so much; the one in which you had to pilot a plane: Yang was the one who could do that properly.

The dark brown-haired- boy marched into his class, with an annoyed expression.

"Why didn't you come?"

Itsuki stopped looking at her exercise book and raised her head. Her gorgerous violet eyes looked at him unemotionally. He had really stepped too far, he realized.

"It-Chan, just why?"

She didn't open her mouth, just like Makoto had imagined before taking heart to talk to her. He groaned like a dog, tired of her silent anger. He hadn't said anything so bad and he was sure about that. Makoto stayed in front of her tidy desk for another minute, looking at her blue bangs, since he was too scared to look at her into her eyes. Maybe he had to wait for the following day to come, maybe everything would be just like it has always been.

However, the day passed and the following day the situation was the same. Makoto looked at her in disbelief, while she was putting her shoes on another shelf again. Just why? , he wondered. He kept on staring at her during lessons, without caring about what the teacher was talking about. He felt a shadow of pain in his heart when he realized she couldn't talk to anyone anymore, and it was his fault. Before accidentally breaking Atsuko's doll during a "fight" against him, Itsuki was very popular, she had a loto of friends and always played Digimon card games under a tree surrounded by girls and boys, who loved her because of her joyful attitude. Therefore, when she and Makoto had an argument back then, she could talk to Atsuko at least; instead, now she was alone, sitting at her desk, watching out the window, even if it was pretty far from her desk.

The days passed, and Makoto finally stopped hoping and realized he wold have to apologize to her. Five days, five days without her voice. Five days without her hopping around him. Five days of boredom.

"It-Chan! I'm sorry, ok?!"

She repeated what she did the previous days: she raised her head and stared at him. Then she started writing something on her math book again.

"Ohi, Itsuki. That's enough!" The dark brown-haired- boy began walking around the desk, covering every side. He touched her shoulder, he patted it affectionately, he crouched down and touched her hand, indeed, her sleeve.

"It-Chan, please..."

However she abruptly avoided his touch, and Makoto could only stand up and sigh, sad.

Another school day flew, and he hadn't done anything else other than looking at her, dreaming about what they would have done, if he hadn't said those rude words. Makoto took his shoes and headed to the school gate, staring at the ground and feeling completely down.

"What-What have I done?"

"That's what I've been wondering for days."

That voice woke him up from the tender and tricking embrace of the despair.

"Wen...?"

He turned and a pair of really dark eyes and pitch black hair greeted him.

"Matsuda, you're in a big trouble," The guy, who was lying against the wall, said in his imperfect japanese. "I've never seen Lee-Kun so mad, honestly."

"You don't know her. How could you talk about her like if you had known her for ages?"

Yang looked at his hand, absently: that was what he would do everytime he felt confused.

"I-I don't know."

"You always don't know anything. Why do people like you exist, anyway?" Makoto huffed: that guy was a pain and was lame, he thought. Not coming to their special place, not playing with him: who did he think he was? Then something hit Makoto right on the head, and he turned his head again; his boots made an unpleasant noise. "Why are you talking to me, anyway? I've defined you a rat and I've clearly stated you're useless as a Digimon Jumper."

The chinese boy blinked, showing again he didn't know what to say. He was too shy and talking to Matsuda Makoto wasn't the best thing he could do. He was the bully of the school, he remembered, but something was even compelling him to speak out loud, to express the conclusions of the long consideration that had been persecuting him for days.

"Hm, ehm, I-I think I don't want to lose you, after all. I mean, you're not the best people I could meet; you're the weirdest guys I've ever talked to, but-But-But, nevertheless, I think this club has managed to dig into my heart and...Hm, find a place to stay into it," Then he breathed heavily, surprised by the difficult japanese sentence he had just pronounced.

Makoto raised an eyebrown.

"Aren't you mad at me?"

"Maybe I am not. Maybe I am. I don't know. I'm not so good at understanding those things, but I've understood I would like to keep on being a part of this club. I would like to be a Tear Jumper along with you, even if I'm- Yeah, even if I'm too timid. I've enjoyed myself, perhaps."

Makoto stayed stockstill. The wind typical of May blew through the grass of the yard and through his dark brown hair. He approached the other boy and sat on a stair. Yang quietly joined him.

"Why haven't you come?"

"Where?"

"To the special place."

"Oh, right. I'm not so sure, but I think it wouldn't have been right."

Makoto frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Yang looked again at his tanned hand.

"It has always been you, me and Lee-Kun. It wouldn't have felt right without her."

Makoto immediately grabbed his collar, groaning, but this didn't scare Yang: he was pretty brave when it was about fighting. Peeved, Yang looked at Makoto, into his fiery red eyes, gaining a serious expression.

"Matsuda, what are you feeling now?"

"Nothing," He kept on grabbing his collar.

"Then why haven't you already asked Lee-San if he could train you? Weren't you the one who said you wanted to be alone?"

"What are you talking about, Wen!? Now you have taken heart to speak?! Suddenly you can speak without stuttering!"

"Stop! Please, stop!"

Both turned and saw Itsuki panting, with her hands put on her knees.

"Please, stop this. This is heartbreaking," She approached the stairs and took Makoto's arm firmly, pushing him to let Yang be.

"This is stupid. This is really stupid. We are a team, we should't be like this!"

"It-Chan..." Makoto whispered.

"I'm not mad at you. I want to be sincere and honest in front of the persons for whom I care the most. I don't care if you have insulted me, Yang and Lunamon too, my dear Lunamon. I'm not mad, and do you know why? I'm so bad at being mad, and I will never be able to be mad at you!"

"But you haven't talked to for days..."

"That was stupid," Itsuki lowered her voice and sadly smiled. "I tried to be mad, to act like an angry person, but that was stronger than me. The will to come to our place was unbearable: my feet always led me to the back of the gym. I wanted us to be there, like everyday; I wanted to chat with you both, to play with you, to go on adventures. Please, don't let this happen. I want us three to be together again. Let's start again, who cares?! Please..."

"It-Chan," Makoto said, flabbergasted. Then he weakly smiled, trying not to show the tears that were forming because of the happiness. She wasn't mad at him anymore, she was there again with him. Yang was there too, and even someone like him, who rarely smiled, had a smile on his tanned face. However, it didn't mean he shouldn't apologize, so he stood up and hug her, realizing it was one of the most comforting feelings he had ever experienced.

"Ma-Mako-Chan?"

"I'm a fool. I'm sorry. I would never want to be without you both. You aren't so good at Digimon battling, but, but, but-"

"But that's why a team is important: it helps people improve and learn from our mistakes and flaws. That's what our team will be," Itsuki delicately broke the tight hug, and smiled at Yang too.

"This team is and will be the most important thing of my life. My second family!" She sat on the stairs next to Yang and Makoto did the same. She put her hands on their shoulders, closing them into a sort of tender hug.

"We won't reach this goal soon. We will fight like we have during these days. We will cry, we will have arguments, but someday my, indeed, our dream will come true."

Makoto energetically nodded, and Yang, even if he wasn't so comfortable into that hug, copied his gesture.

Lee-Kun was an important member of their group, he thought, and maybe also Makoto was thinking about that; she was the one thanks to whom that team could exist; she was the one who linked them, a ribbon. What would have been that group, if she hadn't been there?

The following afternoon Jenrya ran to his "office": his assistant, Yamaki and Reika's daughter, had called him and had told him to go back to his office. He pushed the glass door and, when he saw three children, shining like the sun, standing in front of his desk, he couldn't help but laugh happily.

"Welcome back, Tear Jumpers!"


	5. Chapter 5

[•5 In which it's highlighted the love between a father and his daughter, which pushed Itsuki to pursue her dream. Moreover, like always, Makoto struggles to understand his feelings, and Yang enters in his endless maze of worries. However, three words could sum up this very long one-shot: happy birthday, Itsuki-Chan.]

Makoto huffed.

"How?! How can she?!"

He loudly asked himself, placing his distinctive red eyes on a petite figure he knew very well. He looked at her in disbelief when he heard the noise made by the closing zip of her violet backpack. Makoto shook his head slowly, his jaw was open while his eyebrows were raised, sign of his continuously increasing incredulity.

"Well, bye Mako-Chan!" Itsuki laughed, joyful as always and marched out of the classroom.

"How can she?!" He said again, drawing the attention of some of his classmates, who stared at him with strange expressions. "How can she?!" He repeated, this time in front of Yang, who sighed after having heard the same sentence three times in a row.

The chinese boy stopped walking in order to organize his thoughts and tell his friend how he really felt about the whole question. However, despite the effort, he ended up getting slightly irritated because of another "How can she?!" from Makoto.

"Why don't you just talk to her and tell her about your worries?"

Makoto also stopped walking and started touching the bricks of a wall ,which was near him, with a branch he had found in the school yard.

"She will insult me."

"Lee-Kun would never insult you."

The dark brown-haired guy winced and merely turned his head from the right to the left.

"No, Yang," And he began heading to his house again.

"Oh, well, at least I've tried," The other boy shrugged.

"The problem is," Makoto started. "She is pushing herself too much."

Yang nodded, willing to listen to what his friend was trying to admit, which was a rare moment.

"It-Chan shouldn't be so determined. It's just...It's just a competition."

"An important competition," The chinese boy added, remembering how many times Itsuki had explained its importance to him. "Moreover, she wants to defeat Aoki at all costs."

"Aoki is a jerk. She's mean, mean, mean!" Makoto violently threw the branch towards an empty and dead bush: it was clearly November and winter was coming soon. He grunted when the image of the black-haired girl who was Yang's classmate appeared in his mind. Makoto hated Aoki Naomi more than anyone else: she demanded everyone to respect her and treat her like a princess, but Makoto always highlighted his hatred towards her; she was the classic "daddy's little girl", always boasting and feeling like she was the best in the world. Furthermore, she always treated Itsuki like if she was an uncultured girl and that aspect of her behaviour was the one that pissed him off the most.

"I don't think Aoki is like that."

"Of course, she's your classmate and you two are extremely close."

Yang let a little, weird squeal escape from his mouth.

"How-How-?"

Makoto grinned and a big cocky smile appeared on his face.

"Don't worry, friend. I will keep the secret, it's a promise," He said, but at once he bursted out laughing. "Sorry, Yang, but you would surely lead a very lame life, if you married her."

The dark haired boy frowned, getting a quite annoyed expression. His deep black eyes looked even scarier than usual.

"C'mon, Yang, I'm joking."

"It's not funny, also because I don't like Aoki . I just admire her."

Makoto found another branch on the ground and started hitting the walls of the houses again.

"Admiration could transform into.-"

This is enough, Yang thought.

"Weren't we talking about your futile worries for Lee-Kun?"

"Futile?!" The red-eyed guy grinded his teeth and clenched his fits, but then, strangely, he sighed and his face became almost melancholy.

"Yang, it will be her birthday soon, but she's constantly thinking about that competition. She should count the day to her birthday, not to the competition..."

"Lee Kun's birthday, huh?" Yang muttered, still feeling reluctant about birthday days, since they he hadn't celebrate his birthday for ages.

"What if she forgot about her birthday? What if she fell ill before her birthday?"

Yang blinked for just a moment, staring at Makoto's worried face.

"What if you went to the ice rink?"

"Absolutely not."

"But why?" The extremely dark-haired boy bended his head to the right, to make his interlocutor understand he was a bit confused. Relationships, pff, he thought.

"Because...Because...Oh, Yang! You're a pain!" He shouted and threw that branch away too. "No reason! No reason at all! I just want Itsuki to spend a joyful birthday! What's the point in accepting to join a competition before your birthday , if you know you could fail and ruin the best day of the year?!"

He breathed heavily and growled for the nth time in order to hide the shame he was feeling inside his soul. He had reached the top of his inexistent patience.

Yang smiled spontaneously, which was rare.

"You are going to organize an unforgettable party for her, aren't you?"

Seconds of silence followed the innocent question. Makoto could feel his heart starting beating faster than ever and the burning shame demanding to be let free. Nevertheless, Makoto Matsuda had got used to pretending when it came to emotions and sentimentalism. Therefore he patted his chubby cheeks not to show their red shade to Yang and rebutted, "I just want to thank her for the beautiful, ehm, amazing birthday she organized for me. That's everything. Everything about the matter, so don't ask me about this fact anymore!"

Yang raised his eyebrows, surprised, when Makoto began running away from him.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going back home. See you soon."

After slowly raising an arm in order to say goodbye, the Chinese boy stayed stockstill, staring at Makoto's figure which was quickly getting far and far away. He sighed heavily but, when he heard footsteps, he immediately tried to gain a normal expression: it was Atsuko, the quiet Atsuko; he couldn't help but wince, thinking about the fact that she might have "overheard" their whole conversation. Yang forced a smile.

"Shiota, good afternoon," He struggled to appear as normal as possible.

However, Atsuko didn't appreciate his attempt and ran away hiding her face with the two low ponytails, like always.

"Oh, well, nobody could say I haven't tried..."

Yang looked up at the grey sky, lost into his thoughts. He couldn't stop wondering how he had ended up into that club, into that group of childhood friends.

Makoto arrived at home impetuously, like a sudden thunder in the middle of the clearest of the days; like a tsunami that vehemently hits everything that impedes its course. He rolled his eyes at the sound of his mother's voice.

"Could you help Dad make the bread?"

He huffed: he really didn't want to bake the bread; indeed, he never wanted to do it, since it was as boring as a grammar lesson in his opinion. Nevertheless, he didn't intend to make his parents angry that day. Therefore, at once he put his bandana and apron on and resigned himself. Before starting the lame work, he looked at Spadamon; maybe he could forget about Itsuki for a bit of time.

However, that was only what he hoped: things went on in a different way. Actually, while he was kneading with nervous gestures, he accidentally let the words that had characterized the whole day out of his mouth, "How can she?! How can she?! She's also neglecting our special place, our group. How can she?!"

His frustration increased in the matter of a second and ruined the dough he had been kneading for hours.

Takato looked at his son, showing his confusion.

"Ok...What now? You were doing well!" He pointed at the poor, shapeless dough.

"Oh, Dad, not you, too. It was a mistake!"

"Not you too? What are you talking about?"

Fantastic, Makoto said in his head. He was clearly rambling. Every effort he had put into forgetting that situation was becoming vain. Itsuki was dominating his mind again.

At the same moment Takato was staring into space, asking himself what he had done to his child.

"Son, what is on your mind? What's going on? Have you had an argument with It?" He questioned, good-naturedly, with an encouraging smile. He knew he had to be himself to manage to dialogue with Makoto; in nutshell he had to be Takato Matsuda at the 100%, , abandoning his father role and turning into a sort of friend. However, that wasn't the right day to hope to hold talks with the "little devil", like Juri and him often called him. Actually, Makoto started throwing everything away and swearing. Then he ran to his room, leaving his father flabbergasted.

"S-son?" He stuttered and realized he had probably to change his strategy. "Guilmon..." He sighed, before petting the red dragon on the head. "Let's tidy this mess."

Makoto was out of breath after having ascended the stairs, running. It's Itsuki-Chan's fault, he insisted, she always dares to enter in my brain, making me so tense.

He brought his body to stand up and took his smartphone, checking if she had sent a SMS in their Line group. Nothing.

"Oh! She's still training! I knew it! Crazy, crazy girl! How can she be so stubborn?!"

He turned his head to look at Spadamon while he was playing with his sword.

"What's wrong, Mako?"

"Nothing," Makoto answered, playfully "stealing" his Digimon's sword. However, the little blue lion could clearly notice there was something wrong.

"Was Yang rude with you? I'm going to kick Coronamon's ass off, if this is the case!"

Makoto couldn't help but laugh while he was seeing his Digimon pretending to be a Karate fighter.

"No, don't worry."

"Then it's Itsuki!"

Oh, everyone, stop!, He mentally shouted.

"Why are you mad at Itsuki?" Spadamon continued.

"I'm not. I'm just..." Makoto put a hand under his chin and raised his eyes. "I don't even know how to feel..." He stared at the white ceiling, pouty. Maybe Yang and Spadamon was right, he reflected. After all, going to the ice rink wasn't a bad idea. He could see how she was doing and calm himself a bit. Makoto shook his head and closed his reddish eyes. I'm not worried! I just want to return the favor!, He tried to convince himself.

Makoto frowned, his eyebrows shaking a bit because of the frustation.

"All right, Spadamon!"

He took his smartphone and frantically called Yang.

"Just don't laugh. Don't say "See? I was right!". Don't breath. Not one word," He narrowed his orbs, annoyed. "Wear a scarf, a hat and a warm coat. We are going where penguins and seals live."

"What are you talking about?"

"We are going to the ice rink."

Right at the ice rink of Shinjuku a cobalt-haired girl was skating with grace. The rink was very wide, its ice perfectly mirrored the skating figure; on the stands it was impossible to see cans, litters: everything was extremely tidy.

That day Itsuki was exploting the fact that the ice rink was almost empty; actually, there weren't so many people: Itsuki could only spot a father who was teaching to his daughter how to find the balance, and a cold couple who was drinking a hot chocolate in the ice rink cafe'. She cracked a smile when the clumsy girl fell on the ice and her father helped her stand up and she stopped crying.

"This brings me back," She whispered, when her father's voice calling her name appeared in her memories. It was like if he was there, behind the bar, wearing his favourite blue duffle coat. She could hear his sincere cheers, his deep, jovial voice spelling "Itsuki" with emphasis. No, I don't have to think about those things, she told herself. Her coach always stated that her mind should be free of thoughts when it was time to train and skate.

Therefore, after a short break, she started praticing again. Itsuki had learnt to heart the whole coreography she and her coach had created together; it wasn't neither so difficult nor so easy, since it was full of jumps and tops. The girl preapered herself to perform an Axel and finally took flight. Smile while you are jumping, she repeated to herself recalling her coach's advice, and she grinned. Nevertheless, after having landed with elegance, she wasn't satisfied. In her opinion her jump couldn't be considered a proper Axel: she had to reach perfection, that wasn't good. Itsuki tried and tried that Axel, aiming to jump as high as she could, to smile as brightly as possible: she didn't feel happy yet.

"Never! I'll never win, if I keep on jumping in this way...But what's wrong? I can't understand."

Itsuki approached the stands and sat near Lunamon.

"O-ok, It! That was amazing!" The Digimon said. "I'm learning how to cheer well. I've read I'll have to raise my arms, hop and shout. Maybe I should bring pom-poms with me."

Itsuki looked at Lunamon, amused, and tenderly put the Digimon on her pink skirt.

"You're so precious, Luna-Chan, but I don't think I'm doing so well."

"That's not true. You were like... Ehm, like..."The little Digimon struggled to find a good similarity. "Like a cricket!"

Itsuki felt a shiver down her spine and hanged onto the fabric of her white hoody.

"Luna-Chan! You already know I'm afraid of bugs!"

"Oh! Sorry, sorry, sorry!"

"Geez, how can you?" She stopped looking at her partner and began staring at the father and the daughter again.

"It would be nice."

Lunamon, which was moping because of her lack of common sense (that's what she ended up believing), heard her words and asked her for explanations.

"What are you talking about? Don't tell me it would be nice, if you had another Digimon! I know I'm not so clever, but..."

"How can you think I'm that wickey?! I wanted to mean it would be nice if Daddy was here."

Itsuki closed her violet eyes trying to imagine her father next to her, cheering her up like only he was able to do. Everything could have been easier, if he had been there. In her opinion, she would have felt extremely encouraged, if he had looked at her behind the bar; everytime he took her ice skating, Itsuki would use every piece of determination she had: she wanted to see her father's grey eyes full of joy, admiration; yes, admiration, that was what she wanted. She wished he was there with all her heart. However, he couldn't be there, since he was in a business trip. He couldn't instill courage in her, since he had been abroad for a month. She missed him, she said without being scared of admitting that, and she wanted him to be with her and her mother so much. She wanted to turn back the clock in order to live those months during which he stayed in Tokyo to resolve the problem with the Digi Tears.

"But what am I thinking about? I've to stop being so selfish!" She stood up and clenched the fits, still staring at the father and the daughter. "Daddy is coming here for this competition, for my birthday. Everyone is coming here for me, to see me skating and giving my best to win. No more feeling sorry for myself. It's the moment to perform a great Axel!"

She went back to the ice rink and started training again, until she was so tired that her legs couldn't bear the strain anymore. Itsuki laughed when she noticed she couldn't stop humming "The Swan Lake" anymore.

"Luna-Chan, now you can compare me to a swan, a swan princess though."

"I have to write down this metaphor!"

The girl laughed again and wondered how her parents could manage not to talk with their Digimon when they were out of their houses.

"See? She's fine. She's also laughing. C'mon, can we go back now? I'm freezing!"

Yang looked at Makoto, exasperated. They had been laying low on the stands for a hour, and his back was hurting. He was athletic, but he couldn't stand the cold typical of that place.

"Makoto? I can't feel my feet anymore!"

"I wasn't joking when I said you had to wear warm clothes."

"If you want, Yang, I could breathe fire to make you feel better," Coronamon proposed, but Yang's deep eyes immediately became wide open.

"Don't even try!"

Then he insisted, "Makoto, could we go out of here?"

Makoto stood still, focussing his sight on Itsuki.

"Makoto!" Yang whispered with urgence, patting the other boy's shoulder. Finally he got what he wanted and they went out.

"Neh, Yang, is she really fine?"

"Of course she is. You have seen it."

Despite his friend's words, Makoto wasn't so sure. He looked at his boots with a quite sad countenance.

"She's doing it for her father, can you believe it?"

The chinese boy slowly nodded, showing he was also surprised.

"Lee-Kun is a really kind type. She must love Lee-San more than we imagine."

"I don't know if I would commit so much for my father."

"Neither do I," Yang immediately answered, when his father's face came up in his brain. He couldn't help but wince after thinking about how many times he had risked to burn their apartment down because of his lack of cooking skills; or when he remembered how many times he had cut his cheek while he was shaving his beard, and had to put an embarassing plaster on the wound. Yang mentally admitted Su Wen was an unique father.

"Will she be fine?" Makoto questioned, concern in his childish voice.

"She will, don't worry. What was that word Lee-Kun and Lee-San always say? Ah yes, Moumantai!"

"That's Chinese, Yang, you should know it."

"It's Chantonese..."

The days passed, to be exact, two days passed and finally Itsuki found herself in front of the mirror of a changing room. She was ready, she told herself. Was she ready?, Then she asked herself.

"No, I'm ready! I'm totally ready!"

Ruki came silently into the room, accidentally overhearing her child's thought.

"It, give you a break."

The girl turned her head to her mother, who was already keeping her beloved camera in her hands.

"Mommy!" She hopped like a little bunny and hugged her. "Why are you already here?"

"I wanted to check how you were doing, and I can notice you're a mess, like always," The copper-haired woman stated, outspoken like she had always been.

"Mommy! That's mean! I'm just...Nervous," Itsuki recognized, blushing and touching her blue skirt.

"You haven't tied your hair up yet. Let me help," Ruki pointed out and took a random ribbon from her bag.

"Nahhhhhh! Mommy, what's that ugliness?!"

The woman looked at the pink ribbon, startled. "What's wrong?"

"You know what's wrong! I've already chosen a ribbon!" Itsuki shouted and took a blue ribbon from a sparkly coffer. "This perfectly fits the dress."

"Oh, talking about the dress," Ruki started, changing the subject. "Do you really like it? Isn't it too shiny?"

"She obviously likes it!" Another cheerful voice joined the conversation and a young woman appeared. "We have chosen it together."

At once she sat on a bench next to her nephew and the two shared an accomplice high five.

"Auntie Shaochung! You're here too!" Itsuki cheered, while Ruki looked at the young woman in disbelief: she looked even younger as the days passed by.

"We have chosen this dress together. We went to Ginza, Ruki Onee-Chan," She began, adding the suffix she had been using since when she was a child.

"Ginza? Oh, that must have been expensive!" Ruki casted doubt.

"It doesn't matter! Everything to see my princess performing jumps and tops in a pretty dress," She gave Ruki a very sincere smile and Lopmon finally came out of her bag, which was diamond-encrusted.

The little rabbit hopped on Itsuki's thigs.

"She also wanted to buy a tiara for you..."

"A tiara?!" Mother and daughter said at the same time: at least, they agreed about how extravagant Shaochung could be.

Ruki gulped, seeing her daughter wearing that blue dress, full of little stars. She would have never worn a dress like that. Never. She couldn't hide the fact their daughter had taken after her mother and Shaochung. Nevertheless, after the young woman tied Itsuki's hair up, her violet eyes grew dreamy: their child looked very charming.

"Mommy, what do you think?" Itsuki questioned, trying to bow like a princess would.

"Itsuki..."Ruki couldn't find any words to describe how perfect she looked and just nodded, smiling. Geez, she was becoming as sentimental as her husband, she complained, but in truth she didn't care about it at all. Shaochung was slightly moved too. Unfortunately, that moment was meant to end soon. Actually, Renamon told everyone the competition was about to start and suggested that they had to hurry if they wanted to find a seat.

"Oh my! I don't want to stand still and freeze!" Shaochung exclaimed, then she put a hand on her nephew's shoulder. "Sweetie, you'll be amazing on the stage."

"Auntie! It's an ice rink!"

Ruki softly chuckled: everyone knew she wasn't the cold girl she used to be anymore. It was true that she couldn't hide her own temper the most of times, but it was blatant the time had changed her for the better: friends, love, family, those were the factors thanks which Ruki Makino had become the entrancing woman she was now. She smiled again when she saw Itsuki adjusting her ponytail and was tempted to take a photo. What a fantastic shot, she told herself proudly, as she had managed to catch her dear daughter's features. She gently narrowed her eyes when she admitted how her traits resembled her husband's one.

After Shoachung had run away to find a place to sit on the stands, Itsuki touched her mother's furry coat. That gesture was too timid, Ruki realized, too timid for a girl like her daughter.

"Mommy..."

"It, what's up?" The woman said, passing a hand through her child's dark hair.

"Will Daddy really come?"

Itsuki's voice was unsure, a shade of melancholy made Ruki frown and wince, slightly sad.

"It, he will come for sure. He would never miss his daughter's performance."

The copper-haired woman felt an increasing pressure on the fabric of her green army trousers: she could see Itsuki was clenching her tanned fits.

"What if the plane was in late? I dreamed it happened for real!"

Ruki's heart throbbed of gloom for a few of seconds, and in an istant she could swear it was like if she could see herself in Itsuki's eyes; she could see her younger self, begging to be taken to her father, waiting for her father to come back home. She could remember clearly that she hoped someday he would return and would push her while she was on the swing. Then her pure, innocent, childish world got wrecked; she grew up and the whole situation showed itslef in its crudelty. She became aware of the fact her father was now married and also had a child she had been refusing to meet.

"It, Dad will come. He has promised you. He has promised us. I know him well: he's definitely going to come."

Itsuki tried to crack a smile, confused because of this short, natural breakdown.

"Moumantai?"

Ruki hesitated a bit when her daughter pronounced that word she frankly hated. Nevertheless, she raised her pale thumb to make the "okay" sign, just like her husband would do.

"Moumantai! We all will be cheering for you from the stands. Howsoever this will go, It, don't lose your strength," Ruki concluded, before leaving the changing room; she rolled her eyes when she realized she had behaved like her husband, or at least she had attempted.

"I will never be as good as you with children," She whispered, checking if he had called her. Nothing. Nothing yet, she was sure about that.

Itsuki found herself alone in the changing room again. This time she was wearing a glossy blue dress: she loved how fluffy the skirt looked. Her ribbon was okay, she nodded. Her hair was perfectly tied up. She looked at herself and could see the brightest face she had ever seen in her life. She was smiling, even if she wanted her father to cheer her up there, to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and smile at her. She would have liked if both her parents had come into the closing room to gave her enough courage. She sat once more, and told herself she had to stop worrying so much. She was doing that for her father too; especially for him.

Itsuki passed a hand through her bangs and stared at her white ice skates.

Itsuki stood up. She knew the time had come. However, she couldn't help but think about those days, the days everthing started.

The girl could still recall how cold the thermometer felt against her skin, but at the same time she could still feel her father's warm hand touching her; he was holding the thermometer for Itsuki. She could remember her father bit his lips when he checked the display of the device. Despite that, he attempted to make a funny face.

"Is it high?" Little Itsuki questioned.

"No, it isn't so high. The little workers inside you are fighting against those monsters. You are going to feel better soon, It," Jenrya Lee joked, trying to ignore her red cheeks or her watery eyes. He knew she needed to take the medicine, but he knew how difficult it was going to be. He touched his forehead at the thought: Itsuki didn't absolutely want to choke down that syrup, but he knew he had to convince her since her fever was rising and her cough was getting worse. Moreover, his wife would definitely kick him out of their apartment, if she discovered he hadn't managed to bring their daughter to gobble the medicine. He thanked the Heavens Itsuki had fallen ill some days before Christmas: fortunately, he was on vacation and could take care of the child without worrying about work, computers or conferences.

"It, what do you want to do?" He questioned, but the answer was blatant.

"Tv!"

Of course, Jenrya cursed himself. How could he think to convince her with a simple question? He softened his voice.

"What about taking the medicine before watching cartoons?"

No way. Itsuki pouted, keeping on clumsily zapping.

"Could you take it for Daddy?" He sweetily insisted, but the young girl pouted again and pressed Terriermon against her colourful pajama: the Digimon was about to suffucate.

"I don't want to!" She shouted.

However, soon Itsuki started coughing repeatedly and the man could notice her cheeks getting a reddish colour again. He had to do something and immediately too, before Ruki called to check how their daughter was. He looked at Itsuki's orbs that were quickly filling up with tears. It was obvious that was happening: he had told her she was getting better.

"Oh, no, It, don't cry..."

"Daddy...It hurts," She hugged Terriermon looking for comfort.

Yes, he had to solve the situation. He couldn't stand seeing Itsuki crying because she was in pain, because of the flu. He caressed her shaking back, frowning. Maybe he could put honey in the medicine, like most of mothers and fathers usually did. He stood up and left Itsuki with Terriermon for a minute, hoping the Digimon wouldn't upset the girl more than she already was (even if Itsuki loved it when the digital dog did its usual strange things). Therefore, he hesitated before heading to the kitchen, staring at the sobbing girl: he could hold and carry her to the kitchen, but the man ended up cursing himself once more because how anxious he was as a parent.

He preapered the medicine as fast as he could and ran to the living room. He was almost dropping the glass, when he saw his daughter quiet, calm and smiling in front of the television; she was hopping and laughing like if she had never fallen ill.

"It, what are you doing?" He approached her and kneeled risking to slipper because of his soft shoes.

"There's White Owl!"

"White who?" Jenrya raised his dark eyebrows and turned his head to find himself in front of the display of the television: there was a young blonde woman moving her arm among a huge crowd of people.

"An idol?" He muttered, spontaneously.

"No, no. Silly Daddy! She is an ice skater!"

"An ice skater?" He sat on the floor to take the child in his arms. "Do you like her, It?"

"Love her!" She said and then coughed.

A light bulb went on in Jenrya's brain.

"I'll have to bribe you then," He said, sneaky. Ruki was the queen of bribing people, but following her footsteps wasn't so impossible.

"What does bribing mean?" The girl bended her head, making her tiny ponytail swing.

"If you take the medicine whenever I want you to, I'll take you to the ice rink when you are fully recovered. There are lots of figure skaters in that place."

"Really?! Will be White Owl there too?"

"She may be there too."

Itsuki started hopping like a rabbit again.

"Is it a promise?"

"I promise."

That was a great discover, Jenrya repeated to himself. Finding out Itsuki was drawn by those dancing silhouettes made him happy for some reasons. He would take her to the ice rink and laugh at the child's attempt to perform the various jumps on the stands. Nevertheless, it took him a year to make that important decision, but the man never regretted his choice.

It was Christmas and everyone was at Rumiko Makino's fabolous house, more precisely on her long sofa. Itsuki smiled ear to ear when her grandmother and her aunt gave her three glamorous dresses and a necklace.

"Do you like it, my dear?" Both asked at the same time.

"Of course! I'm looking foward to wearing them!"

Ruki almost whimpered, while Rumiko kissed her grandchild on her cheeck, joyful because now she had someone who liked dresses just like her in the family. Then it was the turn of Jenrya and Ruki's present, which revealed itself to be a lovely stuffed toy that resembled a dog; they always bought stuffed toys for her, so she never felt alone.

"Mommy, Daddy! Thank you! Tonight I'm going to sleep with him! Which name should I choose for him though?"

The whole family laughed, convinced there weren't presents for anyone anymore.

However, Jenrya took another gift from behind the sofa, surprising everyone, including Ruki.

"It, this is your nineth Christmas and I want to make it unforgettable for you," He began and silence followed.

Itsuki took the striped box in her arms and sat down on the sofa between her parents.

"What is it?" She questioned, curious.

Ruki couldn't understand what her husband was going to do neither.

"Jen...?"

"I would have liked to tell you about this before, but I didn't have time," He whispered in her ear.

"Could you just stop being so mysterious and tell me what's going on?" She loudly demanded, angered. If he had had the intention to spoil their daughter that year, she would have given a punch on his head. Stupid Jen, she thought, crossing her arms, but when a little squeal escaped from their daughter's mouth, she understood.

"Daddy..." Itsuki's jaw was open and she couldn't help staring at the pair of shiny, candid ice skates.

"So, do you like them?" The man grinned, but he was interrupted by something warm that had just crashed against his chest.

"Daddy, this is... This is..."

"This is the birth of a new star near to the Moon. This is the beginning of your dream," He announced, emphasizing his statement to make his daughter laugh.

"You mean I'm really going to become an ice skater?!" She exclaimed in disbelief.

"That's a very long path, but you'll cross it without failing. I'm sure."

"I'll slip, won't I?" She pointed at the pair of ice skates.

"You will, but you are going to learn soon."

Itsuki couldn't find words to describe what she was feeling. Therefore she just hugged her father as tight as she could.

"Daddy, thank you. Thank you very much."

Jenrya returned the hug with love, and winked when his grey eyes met his wife's violet one. Ruki knew Itsuki liked ice skating and also knew sometimes Jen took her to the ice rink when he was on vacation and she was working.

"Stupid, Lee."

That heartwarming hug was still in Itsuki's heart: it was a clear picture, not as blurry as the other memories.

She woke up from her daydream and found herself in the middle of the ice rink, in front of a huge audience.

"Daddy, where are you?"

The music started. It was time to become a graceful swan. She began skating and felt air through her ponytail. Firstly, a double loop; she bit her lip: her father wasn't there. Another jump, this time a flip: her father was nowhere to be seen. She proceeded with the performance. She knew she couldn't give up, but the time to do the Axel was coming and she couldn't do it without him cheering for her. She sighed and preapered herself for a Camel: she began spinning. One spin: he wasn't there. Two spins: he wasn't there. Three spins: nothing. She stopped and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to chill out. When she opened her violet orbs, she smiled spontaneously. He was there, standing next to her mother, carefully looking at her performance.

"Daddy, thank you," She whispered, before doing the Axel. She took flight and almost cried when she landed perfectly.

The symphony was over. Silence. Itsuki breathed heavily, and after two seconds a running clapping engulfed her. She bowed.

Itsuki didn't care if she had placed in the second place. Aoki was too elegant to be defeated, but she didn't care: what mattered the most was that finally she could hug her father.

"Daddy! Where have you been?" She shouted and at once dived in the man's strong hug.

"I'm so proud of you," He said and Itsuki couldn't resist anymore: she cried, because she had managed to make her father proud. The path was still long, and she would keep on making him the proudest father in the world.

"Daddy, I promised you I would become good at skating!"

"Silly, girl! You're more than good!" He was still hugging her. He was too proud: she, their beloved child had arrived so far. When they broke that embrace they never wanted to part from, he gave her his jacket to keep her warm. Itsuki looked at her fatherwith humid eyes and he bended again to wipe her tears.

However, even that heartwarming moment was going to end soon. Actually, a thomp could be heard and Itsuki's nose started tickling when she felt herself engulfed by something else.

"Mako-Chan?!"

Makoto had clumsily climbed over the bar, risking to fall and now was hugging her too tight.

"It-Chan, don't cry. You were great there. You looked like a bunny hopping in a field."

Yang, followed by Atsuko, wanted to die or at least put his head under the sand.

"Oh My God, Makoto! What was that? A metaphor? Where have you taken it from?"

"Shut up!" Makoto growled, and didn't notice Jenrya Lee had frozen seeing his daughter hugged by a boy. "I'm trying to cheer her up, idiot! Can't you see how she is upset? C'mon, Itsuki, I'm here now. Don't cry anymore and let's go to the party."

Itsuki laughed pleasantly in Makoto's arms, moving to break that embrace too.

"Mako-Chan, you're the only idiot here! I'm crying because of happiness!"

"H-happiness?!" He turned his head to Yang, who shrugged with a grin on his tanned face. He was trying to say "I told you."

Itsuki laughed again, while Makoto's cheeks became so red that he looked like a tomato. At least, he felt relief in his heart now that he knew Itsuki was joyful like always. Nevertheless nothing was over for him. Actually, he didn't even get to sit next to Itsuki during the party at his father's bakery, and shouted when Takato was about to take the photo and he wasn't close to her.

Yang sighed. That club was the weirdest one he had ever seen in his life. He wondered how he had ended up there, indeed, how he ended up between those two.


	6. Chapter 6

[•6 In which Tear Jumpers obviously can't relax even during their winter break in order to face the most bizzare mission they had ever faced before. We are going to follow Yang's journey through his thoughts and fears; of course, if there's Yang, Itsuki can't stand still.]

It's normal that, when Christmas approaches, everyone starts feeling happier and calmer inside; everything becomes more beautiful at the sight thanks to that sweet and candid atmosphere, and you can also begin liking and humming those silly, joyful Christmas songs you usually find annoying.

In Shinjuku it was the same. The shops slowly became colourful and full of bright lights; the large streets filled up with families and smiling children who, bilthely, held their parents' hands, looking at the shopping windows to find the toys they wanted Santa to bring. Then there was the other side of Shinjuku; a Shinjuku that couldn't stop working despite the close holidays; a Shinjuku dominated by cars and unstoppable semaphores. Shinjuku was a paradox itself during those days. It was like if you were in front of a very confusing picture, a painting in which the artist had enjoyed himself mixing two completely opposite ideas.

Another paradox was represented by a dark-haired man, who was sit on a comfortable swivel chair, in a wide and dour room. Usually, whenever they had to work till night, his grey eyes would be the only little source of light along with the dekstop of the computer : actually, it was like if their shade was capable of shining more than the electronical device; it was like if his determination and efforts could magically brighten the surroundings. However, that day everyone could notice the man's love for his job didn't shine in that wise pair of eyes; it was blatant there was something wrong, a problem, and everything became clear when the two workers were told to reach him in his "office".

"Well, Senpai, that's not so serious," Masahiko Katou stated, trying to crack a smile. He couldn't understand why he had got so stressed: it was a very insignificant issue and they could resolve it in a blink of eye.

"How can you say it's not serious?" Jenrya turned, abruptly taking his glasses off, showing two bags under his eyes: he had been looking at the monitors for hours.

"I'm sure we have faced more difficult situations."

"Tell me,then. Could you remind me of one of them?" He nervously responded, letting the pressure get the upper hand.

"Hmm, for example, when Itsuki was caught by that IceDevimon. You were so intractable during those days," He winced, being afraid of the older man's reaction. However, he felt calmer when Terriermon nodded and agreed with him.

"That was a problem that was serious because Itsuki was involved. If Itsuki hadn't been caught and IceDevimon had caught another child, we wouldn't have needed to declare the emergency state," Jenrya sighed, remembering those moments he spent attached to the Digivice and the computer. He was about to fall in panick.

"What about that time in which Itsuki and Makoto accidentally got into a Digi-Tear?"

The man, who was frantically moving the mouse, stopped and felt a shiver running down his spine.

"Oh, please," He covered the face with a hand. "Could you please avoid to mention that? I don't even want to live again that period in my mind," He begged, shaking his head a bit when his wife's shouts appeared in his memories.

"What about when that blackout happened?" Masahiko tried again, but he failed since Jenrya stood up and gently blocked him, gaining a bit of his composure. It wasn't appropriate to behave as an ill-tempered type.

"Just stop," He put a hand on his Kohai's shoulder and sat again, despondent.

"Jen, you're running out of mental health," Terriermon said and started laughing. "You sit and stand up. You are calm and you're angry. You're a seasickness."

The digital dog kept on laughing, still chewing the chocolate biscuit he had in its mouth. It really enjoyed itself making its Tamer angry.

"Ouch," It whined, when the man gave him a punch on its head.

"Shut up, Terriermon. I have to solve this mess! Can't you understand?"

"Moumantai!"

"Oh please..." He was going over the limit, and was also feeling like if a headache was about to come.

"Senpai, maybe it isn't really so serious," Sakuya Yamaki bended her head, approaching the man and making a lock of her brown hair, whose colour was close to the one of a coconut, fall on her forehead.

Jenrya looked at her with an almost exasperated expression. He hated it when he showed himself uptight.

"It's not so serious on a technical level," He stood up once more and Terriermon laughed again. "They didn't cause damages when they bioemerged."

"Then what's the problem?" Masahiko turned to follow his fast movements. "I can't understand!"

Jenrya stopped in front of his desk and touched it. "We have to think about secondary causes."

"Honestly, I'm a bit confused," This time it was Sakuya's turn. "What are you talking about?"

The dark-haired man got close to the two younger assistants and stared at them, serious, "We are talking about Digignomes, and you two know well what this means."

"I give up!" Masahiko shouted, giving an unnecessary pat on Sakuya's back.

"I might have understood now. Digignomes are surely uncontrollable."

Jenrya, who had ended up near the glass door, nodded energetically to her. That young woman was as great as her parents, and he couldn't help but wonder why she had refused to become the head-chief of Hypnos: she was clever, able with technological decives. Why did she decide to let him gain that important role? Jenrya will never know, but he was glad to her.

"Digignomes can make wishes come true, but they can't distinguish good wishes from bad ones. Can you see what I want to point out?"

Masahiko slowly opened his mouth, surprised. "They are wonderful creatures then!"

"Dangerous as well," The man added.

"What should we do? Should I call Shibumi?" The young woman asked, hugging her agenda tight.

Silence followed, everyone waited for the grey-eyed man to answer.

"Shibumi can't do anything here. He's in Digiworld and the Digignomes are already here."

"But how did it happen?" Sakuya continued, while Masahiko admired their learned discussion.

"It doesn't matter how it happened. What matters is that it has happened and we have to find and bring them back to Digiworld. I don't care how many Digignomes are in Shinjuku now: we have to act immediately."

"Then...What are we going to do?"

The man approached his desk again and looked at a digital picture in which he was with his wife and daughter. He sighed. He wanted to be with them. He wanted to stay with his family at least during the winter break. Christmas was close, but he was there, in that unhappy building, and was racking his brains because of some digital creatures. He couldn't skate with Itsuki like he had promised her; he couldn't buy gifts with Ruki and choose the best one for their daughter; he couldn't put up a Christmas tree with them. He had to work.

Jenrya sighed heavily and realized his reply didn't intend to come out of his mouth at the beginning.

"We need the Tear Jumpers."

Sakuya and Masahiko flinched; even Terriermon, which was focussed on eating every biscuit that was in the box, looked at the Tamer, disconcerted.

"But, Senpai," Sakuya started. "Our squad is on a trip. We have decided to pay that trip because of their hard work..."

"I know. Actually, tomorrow I would like to talk to the Young Tear Jumpers."

Terriermon was about to faint. Jenrya who called his daughter for a mission, willing, wasn't his Tamer. We have lost him, he has become moody like Ruki, Terriermon thought, before biting into the last biscuit.

The following morning another person was about to collapse because he couldn't believe what he had just heard and didn't want that morning to be part of a dream. The guy shouted out of happiness when his mother told him Hyonos had called.

"Hypnos? Are you kidding me?" He questioned, excited.

Juri nodded, while she was washing the dishes, "You were sleeping, so I didn't advert you."

Suddenly a sort of slapping sound could be heard. Juri turned, startled, and looked at her son, who had thrown the little spoon he was using to eat the cereals, towards the floor.

"Mum! I'm speachless! What if it was important?" He groaned and his dark brown eyebrows began trembling, hinting that he was already getting mad at the woman.

Juri slightly sighed: Makoto had been awake for a few minutes and she had already managed to make him angry.

"Oh," She walked up to the table of the kitchen. "My little cub has had a bad dream, hasn't he?" She hushed, passing a soft hand through his rebel strands. She attempted to be as kind as possible, even though she was aware that tactic was useless with her child.

Actually, he rudely avoided his mother's touch and loudly huffed, "I've told you so many times I don't want you to call me like that! Moreover, I didn't have a nightmare, I'm so furious! You don't care about my goal at all!" He crossed his arms and pouted.

The woman tenderly laughed at that expression; he looked like a seven-year-old boy, the tiny boy she used to cuddle whenever he cried or was sad. Whenever that happened, she would sit on the couch and let him lay on her lap; then she would start caressing him and use her puppet to calm him down. Nevertheless, Juri could remember Makoto didn't like being treated in that way.

"Mako, I'm sure they will call you again," She stated, when she saw her son standing up and heading to the stairs.

"What if they don't?"

Juri took the cup that was on the table and looked at him for a second: he was so mad at her that he didn't intend to turn his back.

"If they don't, you will get another chance."

After hearing Makoto's huff, Calumon cheerfully got out of a pot full of flowers, and began flying around.

"Juri is sad, Calu?" It innocently asked, and flew around the woman. "Calu, Calu, I feel sad, if Juri cries."

"I'm not sad Calumon," She reached out and Calumon held onto her arm. "It's Makoto who's sad."

The boy abruptly turned his head and shook his hands. "Calumon, shove off!" He snarled. "Could you call your mosquito?"

"Don't be so rude, Makoto. It's trying to cheer you up," She sniggered and Calumon threw itself against her chest.

"Makoto is bad, Calu! Makoto wants to hurt Calumon, Calu'!"

Playfully, the woman glared at Makoto, who ignored her and marched out of the room.

"Thank you, Mum or whoever has decided today I would wake up."

The dark brown-haired boy ascended the stairs with a heavy foot, closed the door of his bedroom and dived into his bed, which was a mess.

"Today is cold, isn't it Mako?" Spadamon emerged from the blue blankets and yawned.

"Good morning. Yeah, it is."

"Have you already had breakfast?" The Digimon asked, refusing to get up.

"Yes, I have, but I'm going to vomit soon, I know it. The day has started in a wrong way."

Spadamon wasn't a lazy type, but couldn't hide the fact he loved being englufed by the warmth of the blankets, that precious human invention. When it was cold, he usually behaved like Coronamon and Yang: he never wanted to leave the bed. However, when he heard his tamer's statement, he spontaneously stood up.

"What has happened?"

"My mother. Yeah, my mother is a moron. She received a call from Hypnos, but didn't call me. I bet she also directly said I was still snoring."

Makoto pressed his button nose against the fabric of his light blue pillow and sighed.

"I hate winter break. I hate it," His childish voice came out, muffled.

"Why? You don't go to school, so that's great, isn't it? It's what you have been wishing since school started!"

The boy, tired of being on his stomach, changed his position and looked at the ceiling with his reddish eyes, like he always did when he started thinking over.

"It's just that I get bored when I'm on holiday. I want to do something, go to a mission! What if Uncle Jen had called me for a mission?" He loudly said, opening his eyes in a comic way.

"I would like to use my sword. I haven't used it for a week."

"I know how you feel...It's so boring!" Makoto complained and started moving his legs up and down. "It's so lame, so boring! If I had been an adult, I would have never got bored!"

Spadamon stared at him, as he sat down once more and pumped a fist into the air. "Of course! When I'm an adult, I'll be a great Tear Jumper and I'll take up missions without waiting so much time. There won't be Masaru, Leonid and Darya in my way; I'll be the best agent in Hypnos , and Uncle Jen and Uncle Masahiko will adore me!"

The digital lion blinked and stopped sharpening his sword: his tamer was daydreaming about his future and he could see his fiery reddish eyes sparkling. If he always daydreamed, he would never get bored, the digimon thought.

"What about Itsuki, Yang and Atsuko? Indeed, what about Itsuki?" It questioned, covering a smirk.

Makoto frowned, "What about her?"

"Shouldn't you be close to your wife, when you're an adult?"

Spadamon laughed hard when the boy's chubby face became red. "Shut up! Shut up, Spadamon! You're a Digimon and can't understand things like these! Marriage sucks."

Spadamon was having a good time: Makoto got upset very easily, especially if you talked to him about the girl he had a soft spot on.

"Don't understimate us. We can understand human things, if we try and want," It joked once more, touching its white fur.

Makoto was about to kick it out of the room but, fortunately for Spadamon, the phone rang and he immediately accepted the call.

"Makoto," A calm voice came from the device: it was Yang. The brown-haired boy didn't know if he was feeling happy or annoyed.

"What do you want?" He snapped. "I can't listen to your stupid, silly advices now. I bet you want me to study along with you, since you care about my grades and-"

"Could you stop rambling and let me talk for just two seconds?" The Chinese boy said quietly, sighing. "It's about Hypnos."

Makoto stopped mid-sentence, with his mouth open. "What have you just said?"

"Lee-San has called me: he wants us to go there."

Suddenly, Yang must have heard a thomp. Some "tus" starting echoing, since Makoto had abruptly hanged up.

"Hurry up, Spadamon! We have got a mission! A mission!" He had got excited again and all at once boredom didn't matter to him anymore. He got dressed hotfoot, taking the pair of brown cargo pants he could never forget, his cherished checked shirt and grey jumper; of course he couldn't leave the light blue and white coat behind, as well his father's old goggles. He looked just like a real Tear Jumper, he thought, proud.

"What am I saying! I'm already a Tear Jumper, a real Tear Jumper! I've been one since this March!" He turned to Spadamon, which was sniffing the air, dominated by the smell of fresh-baked bread and pastries. They were surrounded by the clients of his father's bakery: since it was morning, there were lots of people who were having breakfast there. Makoto could see sprightly couples and families, who bit their breads looking out of the lovely windows now and then.

"Where are you going, Son?"

Makoto grunted when his father began messing with his already disordered strands.

"So, where are you going? You're looking good today," He kept on playing with his hair, showing an extremely huge sign of affection.

"I'm going nowhere important."

Takato laughed at his son's attempt to break free of that sort of strong hug. "If you aren't in the middle of something important, why don't you help me? Look at how many clients there are today!"

"Never and never!" He shouted, without caring about the fact that he was in public. He finally managed to part from the man.

"I'm going to Hyonos, Dad! I have to fulfill my duty as a Tear Jumper!"

Takato spontaneously smiled, seeing how his child had discovered what he really liked doing in his life. He kinda reminded him of his younger self, a more grumpy version, of course. He was glad Makoto was crossing a path thanks to which he was growing up and was improving in his behaviour day after day. He was aware that their adventures as Tamers had been dangerous and he had made his parents worried a lot of times but, despite the risks, he couldn't help but feel joyful. He, indeed they, could have never imagined Makoto would also find precious friends he really loved: Juri and him was feeling calmer now that they knew he was beginning looking for his real place in the world.

"If this is the case, I won't stop you here any longer. I hope you'll have a great day, Son," He grinned, good-naturedly, while he was cutting a loaf of bread before putting it on a shelf. "Oh, please, say hi to Uncle Jen and Itsuki-Chan too."

"Sure, sure, sure," Makoto indifferently responded: he was already heading towards the entrance door of the bakery, after having avoided to crash into the clients who were holiding trays full of delicacies.

"Bye, see you later."

Once out, the boy began running as fast as he could, while Spadamon tried to remain on his shoulder without losing its sword. He was on cloud nine; he was ready to give his best to please Hypnos. The Young Tear Jumpers, they themselves were going to be under the spotlight after that mission, he was sure. He rushed through the park gate, not caring about his surroundings; what mattered the most to him was the upcoming success, the Hypnos's members future applauses. He could already hear them clapping their hands. Oh yes, they were definitely going to become the heroes of Shinjuku, the real Tear Jumpers. While he was quickly heading for the huge building, he couldn't help but imagine what that mission would be like.

"Wouldn't be extremely cool if a Myotismon invaded Shinjuku?" He loudly asked and his reddish eyes grew dreamy.

"It will never happen. We would have already been buried, if that had happened."

Makoto pouted, but his Digimon's clarification didn't stop him. He began turning his head from the right to the left, hoping he would discover that's something was off. He was certain they would face a very dangerous "Wild one" or enter a really insidious Digi-Tear.

"Who knows? What if they discovered an underwater Digi-Tear? We would have to fight and swim at the same time. Oh, I'm so pumped!"

Since the eleven-year-old boy couldn't wait anymore, he increased his speed and Spadamon risked to fall again. Thoughts about tempting adventures were the only ones that were present in his mind. The day had got a fantastic turn, he thought. However, that excitement was meant to vanish like sugar in coffee, when Jenrya told the children about the real mission. Everyone's expression was stunned.

"What? Are you kidding me?! That's all? That's all?! We have to follow two stupid fairies?"

Jenrya stared at him and at his abrupt gestures. That guy always wanted the Moon, he realised.

"What mission were you expecting?" The question came spontaneously from his mouth.

"I don't know," Makoto shouted. "But I'm sure I would have never imagined I would be sent on a wild goose chase!" He pointed at the display, in which a big image representing a Digignome had appeared some minutes ago.

The man blinked; his grey eyes made the children understand he was a bit surprised.

"I think they are cute," Itsuki stated, giggling. "Atsuko-Chan and Yang-Chan agrees with me, don't they?"

The shy members merely nodded.

Makoto grunted once more: he should have kept his expectations low, he cursed himself.

"They are pretty interesting creatures, Mako, believe me," Jenrya tried to calm him and stood up, approaching the boy, even though he flinched. "Firstly, we can't consider them proper Digimon; they are digital creatures, but they didn't share so many characteristics with our partners."

"So they are garbage!" Useless garbage!" Makoto crossed his arms, huffing. He was so upset. A day in which Hypnos's beloved squad was on holiday and they had the chance to shine, Lee-San used them to carry out a ridicolous mission.

Yang, Itsuki and Atsuko stayed silent, waiting for the man's next move: they knew he would try to convince the grumpy boy with every oratory ability of his.

"That's not all, kids," He began talking again, waiting a second before saying what he wanted to: he always managed to create suspence effect, Yang realised, feeling a bit uncomfortable as the theatric silence engulfed him.

"They are supposed to grant wishes. Indeed, they can grant wishes."

He cracked a smile when even Makoto opened his mouth in disbelief: of course, he did know how he had to treat certain situations. Nevertheless ,he still wished Hypnos had never payed that holiday for their own expert squad, since he had found himself forced to involve those poor little Tamers in order to solve that problem. He wished The Tear Jumpers, Darya, Leonid and Masaru had been there.

"Have you just said they are able to-?" Makoto struggled to finish talking. He was speachless, but at the same time he didn't exclude it may be a cheap joke.

"They are mysterious creatures, Children, even though they were created by men."

"How is it possible?" Yang asked, after taking heart. He had got quite interested in that matter.

The dark-haired man hesitated before giving an answer.

"Digimon themselves and Digiworld itself is still full of mysteries nowadays. Moreover, as the years are passing by, new places have been forming and meanwhile Digimon have also been evolving, developing, going beyond our consciousness. That's why sciencists who have been studying there for ages refuse to come back: they are drawn by the many transformations that have been occurring in Digiworld periodically. Don't ask me how this can happen, as we have no clue. When your parents and me was younger, Digignomes already existed , but technology respected schemes and the rules humans had imposed; now everything is different. It's like if technology is trying to take our place and it's using the power, which we ourselves gave, in order to accomplish its goal. Everything is getting out of our hand: just look at Digi-Tears," He sighed, preaparing himself to explain the mission to the children. However, when he noticed Yang looked really stunned as well the other kids, he scratched his head, embarassed. "Eh eh, sorry, I was rambling. I could open a debate about those topics."

"Daddy, huge idiot. You're a sort of genius," His daughter joked, calling him like his wife and sister always did.

"Will we be allowed to make a wish too?"

Jenrya sat on his soft swivel chair once more. The difficult part comes, he told himself.

"You won't," He chose to be as direct as he could, but he soon regretted that decision since the children started complaining.

"I knew it was a cheap joke!" Makoto shouted, groaning, and Itsuki firmly grabbed his arm before he expressed his anger. Atsuko hugged her Impmon very tight, while Yang looked at the scene, without saying anything: he had got used to Makoto's unstoppable temper.

Jenrya turned his chair and took a pen, pointing it to the display: a map of Shinjuku suddenly appeared and he turned the laser of the pen on.

"I can understand how you feel, Children. It's like if I had told you Santa wasn't going to bring you gifts. Anyway, may I have your attention please?" He politely said, and the ruckus disappeared. Atsuko could breath. "Our computers have noted Digignomes have already spread through North Shinjuku. We don't know if they have already reached the station but, if they did, we would be in a big trouble."

"Why, Daddy?" Itsuki bended her head and looked at her father, looking for clear answers. She picked up Lunamon.

"Digignomes are quite naughty. Furthermore, they can make every kind of wishes come true."

"Cool," Makoto muttered. "Why should we stop them?"

Jenrya passed a hand through his short dark hair.

"What would happen, if a child wished for a dinosaur to appear in Shinjuku?"

Yang felt a shiver running down his spine, remembering that time he spied his sister and her boyfriend, who were watching a film about a big dinosaur destryoing Tokyo.

"Hmm, Lee-San, could they really do that?"

"Obviously," He shrugged. "We are talking about extraordinary creatures, boy."

"It would be scary," Atsuko said, hiding her face with her two blonde low ponytails.

"That's why we must act and you have to help us," He threw the pen up in the air and caught it, skillfully. "I don't want you to overdo it, you are in the middle of the winter break. Just be careful and look at your surroundings everytime you are out. Obviously, our computers will help you and we will call you whenever they detect something. Understood, Young Tear Jumpers?"

They nodded like obedient soldiers, even though Makoto detested that "young".

"Good, children. You're dismissed."

xxx

Yang left the room in which there was his father's piano with an upset expression. Why did he keep on playing the piano?, That was the question that had started hitting his brain just like a hammer. 

He quickly arrived into his room and closed the door. Then he gently put his father's music sheets on his tidy desk.

"It's so cold!" Coronamon's muffled voice came under a pillow. It was freezing.

"I've turned the heater on!" The black-haired boy kneeled down and pet the fur of Mila, its beloved cat, which was curled up next to the Digimon.

"That symphony was beautiful, Yang! You played it so well."

"It's called...Jesu <>. There should be a continuation of this title," He stopped in front of his collection of manga, discomfort filling his veins. "Dad used to underline how important that subtitle is."

"Ah, who cares about its name. You sounded like a professional!"

"Do you think so? It was a pretty poor performance," He responded, his voice was laced with boredom as he lied on the bed, a manga in his hand.

"Poor, what do you mean? It made me sleep and it's important to convey your surroundings feelings!"

"I don't know. It's my sixth sense," He turned the page, ignoring Coronamon's weird compliment. "Anyway, I-I don't like the Jesu. I don't like it at all, I hate it."

The verb to hate <>, which is so rare for a child to pronounce with the awareness about its true value, came out from his mouth like poison ; actually, it wasn't directed to the symphony itself, and Yang couldn't really understand that properly at that age.

"You always say that when you don't know how to answer," Coronamon stated, quite irritated because of how reserved his Tamer was. 

"Maybe," Once more his tone was low. His eyes were undoubetly drawn by the scene he was reading, at least that's what the Digimon thought, basing on the appearance of the kid'actions. Still, it couldn't penetrate Yang's interiority and discover what the kid was truly thinking about was...His father.

Su Wen, the name echoed in Yang's soul and he furiously shook his head, desperate.

"Su Wen, leave my mind now," He closed his eyes and tried to imagine something else, but the man always came up in his memories as well as the piano he had played some minutes before; a pair of small hands clumsly following the skilled movements bigger ones were making. 

Yang sighed heavily, since he had lost the sense of what he was reading: he couldn't follow it anymore, and somehow Lee Kun's words of two days before rang in his mind: "What would you do, if you were able to get a wish come true?"

That question had undermined him in his soul. It's true that his brain was always clouded after having talked to Lee-San, but that wasn't the real reason why he couldn't find a proper answer. He really didn't know it.

"Maybe I'm so unhappy that I have got too many wishes; or maybe I'm so unhappy that wishes don't even try to enter in my mind."

"That was such a philosophical thought, Yang."

He noticed he had talked too loudly when Coronamon jumped on the bed.

"It was a pretty complex thing to say."

The boy caressed its flaming head, lost in thought.

"It was...It was a confusing one." <>, he would have liked to add.

He looked at his plane models on the shelves with his deep orbs. Two days had passed since when Lee-San assigned that mission to them, and they still couldn't find a Digignome. They had been receiving lots of signalizations, but they were too slow and Digignomes too fast.

"You will get a very big headache, if you don't stop thinking over."

No response from the child followed; he turned and found himself staring at the wall, as his strength slowly abandoned his body., until a noisy ring disturbed the moment of peace. 

Yang stood up without complaining and accepted the upcoming call: it was Makoto.

"Hi, Makoto," He was already feeling uncomfortable since he was very bad at talking on the phone.

"What a great way of greeting a friend. You sound like someone who has just escaped from his grave."

Yang's ears got a brilliant red shade: he hated it when that happened. That was the reason why his locks were long enough to cover them.

"Hm, I was sleeping. Ehm, that's not true. Actually I was taking a nap or maybe-"

"I don't mind what you were doing! I need your help immediately!"

"W-What has happened? Is it about Digignomes?"

"Wow, you're a genius, Wizard boy!" Makoto shouted, sarcastic. "Why would I call you?"

"That was pretty rude..." Yang sighed, nervously moving his tanned fingers.

"By the way, Demon, there's a Digignome near Itsuki's ice rink. She's there, so we have to rush before something strange happens to her. I'm already with Atsuko."

"Close to the ice rink?! What a coincidence."

"Yeah, yeah," The dark brown-haired boy was out of breath. "While we are talking, the Digignome is flying above Itsuki! C'mon!"

"Yeah, y-you're right."

"Obviously I am! Who do you think you are talking to?"

Yang could hear footsteps and his wheezing. Therefore, the question raised spontaneously.

"What are you doing?"

"We're running to the underground. We can't fail this time too! If we fail," He stopped, taking a deep breath. "Those three Tear Jumpers of my boots will return from their stupid holiday and will snatch this mission. So, move your butt and let's meet there in a few minutes!"

He hanged up like always and Yang couldn't believe about how stubborn he could get. Why couldn't Shiota-San explain him the situation instead of Makoto? She was so kind and delicate.

"Coronamon, we have got news. We need to hurry to the ice rink now."

The little digital lion immediately stood up and jumped. He threw a punch into the air.

"A mission! A mission!" He pretended to fight against a pillow, while Yang was taking eveything he needed: his Digivice and his phone. He put them in the only pocket of his adorated red hoodie.

"Let's go," He said, but after a second a realization hit him; a realization that pushed him to halt his rush and return to his bedroom.

"Where are they? Where are they, Coronamon?" He frantically agitated his hands on the desk, ruining its order. When he found them, he felt a sort of conflict raising into his soul. He was staring at them, but at the same time he looked to be staring at the space. Those goggles, those useless goggles. He couldn't get rid of Su Wen's shade.

"Yang, c'mon! We can't hesitate!" Coronamon urged him.

What should he do? Take them or leave them?

"Yang!" Coronamon touched the fabric of his jeans: nobody could hide they really suited him.

Yang was still in the middle of a choose. He shook his head with decision and took them, although his hands were shaking.

"Su Wen, how will I be able to forget you?"

The boy started running again and quickly put his yellow sneakers on.

"Shaoyu!" He called his older sister. "I'm going out. I might not come back by dinner!"

He waited for her answer, sitting on that sort of large step he didn't use to have when he lived in China. The answer never came. He sighed, but he didn't worry: he could hear her laughs coming from her bedroom: she was still talking to her boyfriend.

"Ok, bye!" He said again and closed the door.

"Yang, you have wasted so much time!" His flaming partner scolded him, while he was heading for his bycicle and was putting his father's goggles on his head.

"Don't worry. This time I'm sure we'll send them to Digiworld."

He began pedalling and left the zone of his house in a few seconds. His bycicle was fast, awesome, he loved it and above all he enjoyed riding it since it made him feel free; despite that, he sometimes wondered if freedom was really what he felt whenever he was riding it. He was quite skilled and Coronamon also had a good time whenever his Tamers took it with him on that human vehicle. It was like going on a merry-go-round.

"Go, Yang, go! Go! Go!" It shouted.

Its adrenaline increased as the boy avoided cars, motorcycles and buses. He would lean forward, everytime he had to zigzag through the traffic. Lots of people could consider him reckless, and many neighbours sometimes told his mother (when she was at home) about his thoughtless way of riding that bycicle. Nevertheless, he didn't care about rumors and gossip.

His phone rang again after he took a road full of cars.

"This isn't good, but at least I can accept the call," He whispered to himself, knowing he had to be patient. However, he was ready to whizz again: he was moving his left foot repeatedly.

"I'm on the way. I'm coming," He answered, without even looking at the display: he knew it was Makoto.

"Calm, boy, here there is a problem," The other boy's voice was suffused with his usual confidence, despite the "problem".' Moreover, he could swear he had heard Shiota shouting.

"What is happening there?" He hissed, intending to understand the whole matter.

"Makoto!" He repeated, when no answer came.

"I don't know how to explain this, ok?"

Yang clenched the fists, which were on the wheel. He noticed he still couldn't go further.

"Try to explain at least! I'll try to understand!" He begged.

"You won't believe me!" Makoto shouted, and the Chinese boy heard Shiota screaming again.

"I don't care! Just speak!"

"Ok, we are like in an endless train journey," His voice was strangely uncertain.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, getting slightly nervous.

"I told you that you wouldn't understand, you idiot! The train isn't stopping at all! Stations are passing one after another, but we haven't stopped even once! I don't know what's happening!"

"That's weird..."

"What a prodigy you are. What are we supposed to do now?!" Makoto stopped talking for a second, letting a groaning escape from his mouth. "We are going to lose again!"

Yang was speachless: he knew Makoto really cared about missions and his Tear Jumper role. Nevertheless, he couldn't do anything: he was stuck there, waiting for the situation to improve. The boy sighed, pretending not to hear Makoto's insults.

"What are we going to do, Yang?" Coronamon questioned, tired of staying there, stockstill.

"I don't-"

The deep-eyed Chinese boy felt shock creeping into his soul, when he raised his head to look at the sky, which was a sort of inspiration to him.

"What is happening here?" His black orbs looked smaller because of the oddity of the event. The line of cars, which was in front of him, had taken flight and now they were dangerously floating in the sky.

"Makoto, here everything is turning upside down!" He raised his calm voice and panick took over him.

"Now you're the crazy one!"

"I'm not joking...The cars are...The cars are flying!"

"Yang, your race has intoxicated your mind!"

The boy rubbed his eyes and looked at the vehicles again.

"They are still there, and people are shouting! Makoto, what is-"

He abruptly stopped talking once more, when he spotted a light moving above the road.

"It's a Digignome!" Coronamon stated, and Yang took his Digivice to check if it was right. Like Lee-San told them two days before, the analyse of the device didn't produce results.

"It's the Digignome that has caused this!" The Digimon pointed out at the creature, which looked transparent under the shiny Sun.

"But why should someone wish that some cars could fly...To avoid the traffic?" He asked himself, realizing Makoto was still on line. Suddenly a bell rang in his mind. "Makoto, what if someone wished for the train journey to last forever?"

His interlocutor was stunned because of the many station stops they had skipped.

"A Digignome in the train? Are you mentally ill?"

"I'm just supposing, since the situation is so strange! Please, check your surroundings along with Shiota. Now I have to try to defeat this thing!"

Unfortunately, when he looked up at the sky, the fairy had disappeared.

"I've lost it..."

"Congratulations! I'm trusting Itsuki to you and you have already lost the first Digignome you have seen today!"

"W-what have you said? Me- Lee-Kun?!"

"Yes, and I'm not going to repeat this again. We can't move from here! Who should take her out of the ice rink?" He huffed ,and immediately after a voice saying "Shibuya" could be heard in the background. "Bye-bye Shibuya too, I guess. That's not my day."

"Makoto...I can't do that..." He stared at the road and then at the vehicles in the sky. He could see people talking on their phones, shaking. "I've already failed here. I'm not as brave as you. I can't carry out this mission alone."

For the first time in his life Makoto felt proud because of a sincere compliment, and that compliment had been pronounced by Yang, the guy he most detested in that world. He couldn't help but smile; despite that, he didn't let his heart get the upper hand.

"Yang, we have no choice. You're a Tear Jumper just like us and we have to believe in you and Itsuki. Atsuko and me will get the Digignome that's wandering around here," He concluded, realising he had acted too sweetly and had unconsciously accepted Yang's theory. He wanted to vomit.

Yang felt his heart beating faster and faster. If he didn't reach the ice rink, Shinjuku would be invaded by DigiGnomes, he told himself. He didn't have to think about being useless in that moment: he had to take heart and face the problem, but he was as coward as a rabbit. Months had passed since he became a Tear Jumper, but he had always fought by their side, by Lee-Kun and Makoto's side. Whenever he stood next to them, he could feel more self-confident; he was able to enter the Digi-Tears and even defeat the most terrifying digital creature men had ever created. They were his hope, his strength. They had helped him open a bit, feel comfortable and perfectly integrated; they had managed to make him feel loved after a long time. He had never ended up thinking about that: he had to be glad, grateful to them. Therefore, he didn't have to run away or cry, he shouted in his mind

"Ok, I-I promise you I will solve everything and I'll get Lee-Kun."

"Be careful, please," Makoto whispered. Then he regretted what he had just said. "Not about yourself, you moron, about Itsuki! If she has got just a scratch on her leg or arm, I'll kill you!"

"Count on it, but," He blinked, melacholic. "What should I do here? I'm sure journalists will come soon. They can't obviously lose a scoop as amazing as this one."

Yang was certain lots of reporters were definitely going to see the bizzare event, as his mother was a journalist herself: actually, Yu Wen could be considered a woman extremely thrist for interesting articles to write and publish.

"Shit, this is bad. We are bogged down!" Makoto was bursting out of anger. Yang heard him taking a deep breath. "Listen, we have informed Lee about the situation, and he said Hypnos could try to solve a part of this mess. Thank Atsuko.

"That's a good news!"

"This doesn't mean you are going to sit on your hand, gerk! Put your rear in gear now! We have lost too much time. We both are going to deal with this situation, while you and Itsuki are going to fix everything."

"But how?" Yang asked, his head was still raised in order to check what was happening above.

"I don't know. You'll have to make it out yourself. Now go and good luck."

He hanged up and the extremely dark-haired Tamer sighed: he was always the same.

The boy decided to start pedalling again, but this time faster than before. His quite baggy red hoody went up and down because of the excessive speed.

"That's a very big trouble, isn't it, Yang? "

"Yes and we are right in the middle of it."

While he was proceeding doing a slalom, he could hear ruckus coming from where the DigiGnomes had striken. Journalists without doubt, he mentally stated.

Finally, after that almost never-ending rush ,Yang arrived in front of the Shinjuku ice rink, wondering how he was supposed to behave once he had found Lee-Kun. He entered the building and both the Tamer and the Digimon was immediately hit by the surge of cold air.

"I will never get used to this place," Coronamon admitted, as its teeth were trembling.

"Never in my life. I'm freezing."

The boy walked slowly, trying to be as careful as he could to notice possible oddities. After he had inspected the cafe', the zone near to the changing rooms and the corridors, he found himself on the stands.

"Over there! There is Itsuki-Chan, Yang!"

He nodded and felt a bit relieved, since he knew she was unharmed.

The girl stood in the center of the ice rink, with her arms and head up: she looked like a little ballerina. Instead, her violet eyes were closed, as if she was absorbing the grace the whole elegant surroundings were offering her. It didn't matter that she was wearing her usual daily outfit: she seemed a beautiful swan, Yang subconsciously confessed. Since she was in that elaborated pose, he believed she had just finished training.

"Itsuki-Chan really looks like another person when she's here, don't you agree, Yang?"

He merely nodded: his orbs were glued to her figure, waiting for her to move.

After a second that felt like eternity, Itsuki slowly opened her amethyst spheres, dissolving that enchanting pose. She stretched, happy to have mastered a new jump and turned to take her pink towel, which was on a bar. The girl felt rather tired since she had been training for hours. Therefore, she let herself chill out and laid her back on the bars.

"How was it?" She questioned to her Digimon partner, smiling.

"It was mind-blowing, my dear!" Lunamon apporoached her leg and hugged it.

"Thank you, Lunamon. You're so cute!" Itsuki giggled.

Suddenly, a loud thud could be heard, and the two friends abruptly turned.

"Yang-Chan?" The cobalt-haired girl was more than surprised. The Chinese boy had accidentally tripped on the stands and now he was looking at her with a confused gaze. "What are you doing here?"

Yang clumsily stood up, embarassed: he had chosen not to sit on the inferior part of the stands, since he didn't want Lee-Kun to notice he was there and distract her from the training.

"Hm, hi, Lee-Kun," His voice was full of shyness.

Itsuki pouted, pretending to be angry at him, "Y're still anchored on that Lee-Kun: so bothering!" She shouted, raising her arms in the air: her hands were covered by her long grey sleeves. "By the way, could you tell me what are you doing here?"

Yang felt a shiver running down his spine, when she pointed her sight to where he was. Her voice arrived clear, despite the difference in height of their positions.

"I'm checking if...Hm," He was too ashamed. And to think that I was a bit more confident than usual two minutes ago, he cursed himself in his mind.

"So? What are you checking?" She insisted, with a sulky expression.

"Hm, I'm checking if there are Digignomes here too."

Fortunately for him, Itsuki replaced her grumpy mood with one of her radious smiles.

"We are in a mission then!"

"Yeah..."

"Where are the others?"

Yang began fiddling with his pitch black locks.

"It's a long story. It's because of the Digignomes..." He moved his head from the right to left, and Itsuki couldn't help but find him adorable. "Their train won't stop."

She opened her mouth in disbelief. Digignomes were really extraordinary creatures: now she could understand why her father was so nervous when he came back home last night.

An embarassing silence followed; obviously, Itsuki was the one who broke it.

"I guess we are alone and we have to face this problem together, don't we?"

He nodded and the girl continued talking. "Would you like me to show you my next performance? Who knows, maybe the Digignomes could be drawn by the music."

"I don't think so..."

"You don't have to be so direct!"

Itsuki sighed, irritated. However, at the same time she felt pretty excited: Yang was going to watch her skating; she hoped she won't upset his expectations. Did he have expectations?, the girl thought and a shade of sadness engulfed her. Nevertheless, she managed to push it.

"Watch me, Yang-Chan!" She shouted again and winked to him, intending to look as lovely as possible. She tightened her red ribbon and preapered herself to shine in front of her dear Yang. Her heart was beating very fast.

"Yang, the symphony is from The Nutcracker. I hope you'll like it!"

The Chinese Tamer nodded once more, focussing on the ice rink: he didn't want to let her down; after all, she really cared about ice skating.

"Go, Itsuki-Chan!" Coronamon shouted, and the girl attempted to hide the delusion: she was really convinced Yang had brought himself to call her using the Chan.

The music started playing in the background and Itsuki began dancing on the ice, with gracefulness and mastery of every movement. Sometimes she spinned or jumped with unforeseen lightness, giving life to an enchanting show.

He coudn't stop his eyes from following her frame, and at some point he let himself lay his head on the bars and squint his spheres.

Meanwhile, Itsuki was trying to give her best, emphasizing every fragment of her perfomance: when she had to jump, she attempted to part from the ground as much as possible; when she had to spin, she tried to seem an unstoppable dreidel. Now and then she looked at the boy who was on the stands, and her will to surprise him grew even more. She wanted him to applaude at the end of the symphony, to clap his caring hands only for her. She longed for his rare yet beautiful smile.

The symphony kept on playing and the girl found herself drawn by the sweet tune. She loved that symphony: it was so engaging and romantic.

"Romantic," She whispered, still looking at the boy. Her coach always told her she absolutely didn't have to speak while she was skating, as she could bite her tongue. Despite that, she had already gone in the world of her desires and it was like if only her body was in the ice rink; instead, her mind was in that magic universe, full of happiness and joy, in which Yang and her could walk forever hand in hand.

Dreaming had never been a sin, only a joy.

Words laced with pure feelings came from her thin mouth.

"I wish I could skate with Yang. I wish he was my Nutcracker."

She kept on skating, enriching the wonderful perfomance with flair. She was oblivious to what was going to happen.

A bratty Digignome, which had been looking at the girl for hours, grinned when it realized the young lady had just made a wish. It covered its mouth with its shining paws, still laughing: the fun had started.

It flew above the boy and noticed he had fallen asleep, like if that symphony was a cuddling lullaby. The Digimon didn't hesistate: her wish was going to become real, and it was sure it would be very entertaining.

Yang's breath was steady, his face instilled peace and his hands were abandoned on the bar. All of a sudden a strange feeling engulfed him, but he ignored it, thinking it was part of his confused dream. However, after some seconds, he quickly woke up from his twilight sleep as Coronamon was shouting.

"What's the matter?" He yawned, but he immediately understood: he was floating.

"What is happening here?" He questioned, shocked: he suffered from vertigo. That state of fear grew even more, after a light had blurred his sight and he had found himself in the middle of the ice rink.

He wanted to shout, since he realized he was wearing a pair of skates he had never seen in his life. He could feel wind moving his hair and soon Itsuki appeared in front of him. He wanted her to help him, since he couldn't move but, instead, she grabbed his tanned hand and made him spin and turn along with her.

Yang was paralyzed because of the terror: eveything had become dizzy around him; he couldn't figure out what was happening; confusion, a mix of symphonies and feelings ruled in his mind. He wanted to see where Coronamon was, what it was doing, but the only thing he could see was Itsuki's violet eyes. They were staring at him, amused, like nobody had ever done. He began wondering why Itsuki had never felt scared of him, his pitch black strands, his extremely dark eyes. 

What should I do?, he could only ask himself, as she led him across the ice rink.

On the other side, the girl was stunned yet amazed by the fact that the boy was skating with her, just like those famous skating couples she often saw in TV. Yang's hand was sweaty at the beginning; therefore, it was rather hard not to let him go. She couldn't help but smile, as his mismerizing orbs were staring at her, scared. She neither knew what was happening to them, how Yang had ended up there with her; nevertheless, she didn't want that strange moment to end. She didn't intend to part from him, from his hand that was holding on hers, being afraid of falling. He finally was her prince, her nutcracker

Oddly, all at once the delicate symphony that was playing in the background began accelerating, and also both started rolling faster, like if they were on a little music box. His grip grew firmer and Itsuki could feel the pulse of his veins: he was more than frightened.

The symphony kept on accelerating and even Itsuki started feeling anxiety invading her soul. What was happening? Was it a Digignome? She didn't get enough time to think about a possible reason, since after a second Yang finally brought himself to speak. He shouted with all the air he had in his lungs.

"I-I want everything to stop! I want to escape from here! I wish we were in a calm place, a place in which I could really find the peace I've been looking for!"

The boy closed his eyes, shaking. No sound reached his ears; nobody was making him spin anymore. Was time standing still?, he mentally questioned, but didn't manage to take heart and open his spheres.

He didn't know how much time had passed: seconds? Minutes? Hours? He had lost his track of time. Suddenly, a light wind blew and messed up his hair.

"Wow! This is so cool!" A cheerful voice said: it was Lee-Kun's.

The Chinese boy took courage and slowly opened his eyes. The girl was next to him, smiling and observing her surroundings.

"Yang-Chan, this is great!"

He spontaneoulsy stood up to check where they were: he should have never done that. He froze, petrified, when the schocking realization knocked on the door of his conscience. Yang fell on the weird metallic ground: his eyes were trembling.

In front of him the night firmament showed itself and its bright stars; furthermore, in the center of the majestic landscape there was the mysterious Moon, the queen of the the night sky, the queen that could defeat the darkness and also the dazzling Sun. It was the silence that reigned in that alien place. Actually, nothing could be heard except a sort of buzzing sound, which was both annoying and leisurely.

Even though the answer was incredible, everything was unquestionably clear to him. They were on a plane, a tiny plane that was soaring the sky. He was used to hearing the sound of a flying plane: after all, when he was a child, sometimes his father would take him to the airport with him. The man would show him the variety of buttons that were in the control booth, and would start the engine only to draw the attention of the little child.

The boy immediately felt a shade of sadness plunging in his heart. He looked at how he was unsure, coward; he was stockstill on that wing: he was afraid of falling just like he was afraid of his life itself.

"I-I can't even bring myself to make a wish," He whispered, Itsuki , who was by his side, had stopped expressing her wonder about the surreal surroundings.

"What are you talking about?"

The pair of amethyst eyes staring at him with curiosity reminded him of Lee-Kun's presence.

"I was just thinking," He sighed, his voice still shaking because of the fear.

"You think too much, Yang-Chan! Y're like Daddy: always brooding about everything," She laughed, and Yang couldn't stop himself from wondering how it was possible she wasn't frightened.

"Aren't you scared?" He rapidly asked, shortened of breath.

"A bit, but this place is so beautiful. I mean, look at the sky and the Moon! I don't even want to know where I am or where this plane come from!"

The girl crawled to the edge of the wing.

"Lee-Kun! Be careful!" He was about to move, but she kept on laughing though her head was caught mid-air.

"Look! We are flying higher than birds! I can see lost of birds over there!"

She sat again and beckoned the boy to sit next to her. She insisted, when Yang calmly shook his head.

"C'mon!"

He gave up on resisting and approached her, crawling and trembling.

"Good job, Yang-Chan! Now you're going to tell me what is troubling ya!"

He shook his head again, after looking at her, weirded out.

"We are losing our time chatting here..."

"You've just sounded perfectly like Makoto," The girl lifted her legs and laid her head on her knees. "I do think we are following a Digignome right now: our wishes have become real, can't you see?"

"But it's not-It isn't what your father wants us to do," He replied, complaining, but he soon regretted his actions: Lee-Kun had turned her head and now was staring at him like she did in the ice rink. He felt his heart pounding and he started wondering if her violet eyes were able to bewitch people.

"Since you always talk about what Daddy wants us to do, did you know he always tells me our thoughts are never silly?"

The boy was speachless. Itsuki spoke again.

"So, will y' tell me what you were so focussed on?"

"I've already told you it's stupid," He looked at his yellow sneakers.

"Let me be the one judging!"

For the nth time silence swallowed them, but strangely Yang was the first one to break it.

"I was thinking about my father."

"Su-San?" She asked, using the man's first name without caring about that too much.

"Yes, Su Wen."

"What about him?" Itsuki pushed him to talk. She wanted to cheer him up.

"He...He doesn't want to leave my mind in peace. Mum and Dad don't live together anymore...Yet, I'm always thinking about him, and that's so stupid!" He greeted his teeth, frowning and confused by his own feelings.  
"I don't want him to show up in my thoughts everyday, even if..."

"Even if?" The girl insisted, a comphrensive smile dominated her face. 

"Even if I'm the one who always does activities that are connected to him. I-I keep on playing the piano; what's the purpose of keeping on doing that?" A muffled voice reached Itsuki's ears. "I'm a coward, that's why and my wishes are such as well." He wanted to go further, but he had reached his limit and Itsuki had understood that.

"Wishing is never a sin! It's a joy! Whatever you wish for, Yang Chan. It's all about our hearts," She gave him a bright smile that made his eyes shine like the veil of stars that was engulfing them. 

"I wish I could become older!" She shouted at the endless space, before turning back at him and shrugging. "See? Isn't that a coward wish? That's why wishes should be kept inside our hearts until we feel ready to free them." Itsuki sat next to him with a hop. "I think wishes should grow up along with us; I have got no wish at the moment, unlike you!"

The boy opened his mouth in disbelief: that girl! How philosophical she was despite her age!

"You have already got a wish you're refusing to express. Let him grow and let's see what shape it will gain! My wish is gone now and I have to find another one."

Her tanned hand innocently touching his chest like that and feeling his heartbeat was a feeling he had never experienced before, and finally, for Itsuki's delight, he genuinely smiled because Lee-Kun had such a strong power she was able to even make someone like him act like that.

"Still, we need to figure out how to get out of here!" She disrupted the atmosphere with that jovial voice of hers.

"Yeah...I wish I knew how to do that too."

"Like by falling down the sky!" She joked, but Yang soon discovered what's the result of a mix between a wish unconsciously made and a simple laughing matter.

Without even understanding how, he was really falling down the sky: his biggest fear had become real. Actually, he had been scared of it, since he met Itsuki for the first time. He remembered she ended up in his arms, after she had got out of a flying Digi-Tear.

Even though he was keeping on falling, he couldn't scream. He could see white clouds everywhere, candid clouds which accompained him during his sky journey. He couldn't even close his eyes, and cursed himself since he hadn't put his father's goggles on. Yang wondered where he was going, if he was going to die, if he would be able to play the piano once more. Yeah, the piano: he didn't think about his model planes, his videogames, his flaming red bike; he thought about his father's piano, about his white and black tiles, about the music lessons the man taught him, about the Jesu <>.

That symphony. That lame litany he liked so much, especially when he tried accelerating its peace. That lament he loved.

Yang kept on falling, each star greeting his landing onto the ground and his mind flying through every day he had played along with his father as a toddler. 

Then he heard a noise and it wasn't the noise you would hear when some impact has happened. 

Her violet eyes stared at him again that day, and he was glad she was there, he only knew that. Her hand was holding onto his tightly.

<> Jesu, Joy of a Man's desiring. That name, the continuation of the <> revealed itself from nowhere. 

Why...?

"How-how can you do this?" His weak voice asked, referring to the fact she was floating in the sky.

"You, idiot, Yang-Chan! We are in Digi-World: here even sky can be ground, if you believe it's so."

"We are in Digiworld...?"

"Yes, we have entered a Digi-tear without even noticing it."

"Then..."

"The birds were Digimon too," She smiled at a Digignome that was flying around her, but then she remembered about what they had to do. "Hey, Yang-Chan, you said a world without wishes wouldn't be as amazing as our real one. Despite that, I think we could solve this problem thanks to a wish."

Yang looked at her and immediately nodded.

"You're witty, Skydiver," He brought himself to leave his timid personality for a second: he himself was surprised he had acted in that way.

Itsuki smiled again. Both looked at each other: they knew what they had to say.

"I wish every Digi-Gnome returned back to Digiworld and we were in Shinjuku again."

A blinding light appeared next to them: a hole had formed.

"Let's go," The girl told the boy, who nodded in response.

"Yes, let's go and...Thank you, I suppose," He blushed and she giggled blushing too.

"Thank you too. You have called me Skydriver. That's cute, Yang-Chan!"

The boy sighed, but he was relieved they had managed to carry out the mission.

And that was how the joyful girl and the shy boy got into the Digi-Tear, still hand in hand, without even realizing that.

Jenrya Lee hugged his daughter very tight, when she arrived at Hypnos to tell him the mission had been a success.

"I'm so proud of you, It! You're so awesome that Mommy and me wasn't anything compared to you when we were younger."

Still hugging her, he noticed the other three kids were staring at him with a strange expression on their faces.

He scratched his head like he always did whenever he felt embarassed and procedeed to compliment them too.

However, he couldn't hide he wasn't so happy to know Yang and Itsuki had stayed together durinf the whole mission. He struggled to bring himself to mess up with his hair.

"Good job, you too, Wen boy! You are becoming a better Tear Jumper day after day!"

"But he'll never become better than me, right, Uncle Jen?" Makoto mischievously grinned. Then he looked at Atsuko. "What do you think about my Tear Jumper skills, Atsuko?"

"T-t-they were ok, I think."

"Ok?!"

Makoto didn't want to believe the blonde girl was downgrading his heroic actions on the train so easily.

"Don't you remember when I ran through the coaches of the train as fast as a leopard? Don't you recall when I defeated the Digignome with our strength?"

Atsuko blinked, "The Digignome suddenly disappered..."

"Ohi, you girl! Don't even think I'll behave correctly to you just because you're a doll!"

Jenrya couldn't stop himself from laughing, realising Atsuko had inheritated something from her father.

"Well, kids, you have given your best. We have no words to thank you. Shinjuku has no words too," He turned to Masahiko, who had weirdly stayed in silence throughout the whole meeting. "Now, what about joining our Christmas buffet?"

"Of course!" The four children responded. It was Christmas after all.

Before starting eating, Itsuki put her long sleeve on Yang's red hoody. He attempted to avoid her touch.

"Will it be our secret?"

"What are- are you talking about?" He stuttered: his usual shyness had come back

"That place and this adventure." She crossed her arms, amused. "I don't intend to tell Daddy about what has happened over there. He would kill you."

Yang still couldn't understand, "I'm not following you."

"It doesn't matter, Yang-Chan. Just keep the secret and, of course, I wish you a Merry Christmas."

Yang found his eyes glued to her frame, as she was biting a big muffin.

They were just children, children who had finally begun talking about their life and their place in the world. They were starting shaping their own feelings, ideas, but were definitely too young to understand.

For instance, Yang only realised everything when he was much older, and when sometimes he found himself thinking over about that conversation. It's useless to dwell on how that place became really dear to him in the following years and how he longed for returning there with Lee-Kun once more.


	7. Chapter 7

[•7 In which we turn back the clock and come to those days when the Tear Jumpers were just two, while Yang was just a boy who kept on living quietly. However, the skydriver is lying in wait and she will drag him with her and her grumpy friend to the Tear Jumpers' unpredictable world.]

Itsuki hopped up and down as she was getting dressed in front of the tall mirror of her bedroom. She couldn't stay still: she was so happy. She didn't even care it was a bit complex buttoning her shirt in movement: she kept on jumping and humming the tune of a song she had been hearing on the radio for days. Then, after having put her beloved striped cardigan on, she headed for the living room, where she started combing her hair, still hopping.

"Why do you always do that here? We bought that mirror in your room for a reason," Her mother spontaneously underlined, when she saw the girl pulling her cobalt hair back into a little ponytail there, in their living room.

"This mirror is better," She merely answered, smiling.

Ruki sighed, finishing sipping her coffee. She raised her auburn eyebrows, wondering why her daughter was so joyful that morning.

"Couldn't you stop trotting like a horse? What is it? Why are you so pumped?"

"No reason!" She shouted, startling Lunamon, which was admiring how beautiful her Tamer's locks looked.

"C'mon, It. You are acting like those stupid dolls kids love nowadays."

Itsuki smiled brightly when she checked if her hair was perfect like she wanted it to be.

"I've already told you," She began saying, sitting on the genkan to put her rollers on. "I'm just happy, that's all."

"Oh, It!" She laid her hands on her hips, looking at her daugher. "You know I don't like it whenever I feel like I'm missing something!"

The girl grinned, mischievously, "Still my same anxious mum: always thinking I'm up to something. Moumantai, Mommy, Moumantai." She turned to wink to her, "Try to be like Daddy: he trusts me and knows I'm an angel."

Ruki huffed, trying to hide the fact she detested sounding like Itsuki's classmates' nosey mothers .

"Ok, fine," She crossed her arms. "I hope you'll have a good day."

Itsuki grinned again, this time genuinely.

"I hope you'll have a good day at work too, Mommy!"

She crouched and opened her violet backpack, "Come here, Lunamon. Let's go to school."

After having left their apartment, the girl started skating across the crowded roads of Shinjuku, excited to go to school. No, she hadn't suddenly become a geek like her father, when he was younger. She still couldn't bring herself to appreciate staying sat at her desk for hours, waiting for lessons to finish: actually, she couldn't do without running and moving at least an arm or a leg. There was only a reason that could explain that strange behaviour, which even Lunamon had noticed; indeed, a person, a child: a black-haired boy, whose extremely dark eyes were able to make Itsuki's heart beat faster than jets. She didn't know why it throbbed whenever he looked at her; why her cheeks became red just like the cherries she loved eating; why a wave of shyness hit her, if he raised his head and realised she was next to him. Itsuki didn't know anything about what was happening to her; she didn't try speculating about the possible causes either. She was just sure about the fact she really wanted to see him and chat during recess until the bell rang.

Therefore, when finally that moment arrived, Itsuki didn't hesitate to stand up and take her backpack, after having managed to be careful the whole lesson. She walked to the door of the classroom with a smile on her face but, before going out, she let herself lay her gaze on her best friend's desk: she stared at the blonde girl with a bit of sadness in her soul, and every memory about her came back in her mind.

"At-Chan..." She whispered, touching the colourful wall with her slightly tanned hand.

She couldn't believe her best friend had decided not to talk to her anymore only because of a doll. Moreover, she hadn't ripped it on purpose: that apparently far afternoon, she was fighting against Makoto to give the Leomon doll back to her. Her violet orbs narrowed, when Atsuko started laughing with her other ex-friends. They all had left her and it was the fault of that toy. That stupid toy, she shouted in her mind: they had been friends for years.

Who cares! Now I'm a Tear Jumper and I can stay with Mako-Chan!, she cheered herself up. It was true, after all. It was true she had a new life now; after their "trip" to DigiWorld nothing could ever be the same. Furthermore, the cobalt-haired girl was certain she was going to get a new, cute friend soon.

Since she felt the unbearable burden of her heart disappearing, at least for that moment, she began dashing through the corridor of the school (even though she wasn't allowed to do that) and headed for the back of the gym, the place in which Itsuki knew she would find him. Actually, he didn't look like a very sociable boy, she assumed, as she had never seen him playing with some other kid. She couldn't deny that fact was stange enough, because every boy in her class always enjoyed themselves playing videogames or football together. She ended up wondering why he was always alone.

Still running, she entered the wide gym and, without being afraid, she threw herself against the heavy door. At once the bright light of the Sun engulfed her, and she looked up at the clear sky while her little ponytail was moved by the spring breeze. It was April, so school had just begun: nevertheless, lots of things had already happened to her, and it felt like if many months had passed, instead.

"Luna-Chan," She hushed. "Please, be quiet."

"Y-yes," The timid digital bunny said, struggling to hold in a sneeze: the gym was full of dust.

"You're a good girl!" She complimented her partner and closed the backpack again.

Itsuki began looking around, turning her head from the right to the left, looking for that boy.

"Where is he?" She whispered, a bit upset, but then her amethyst-coloured eyes lit up ,when she saw him sat on a sort of curb.

Itsuki waited before approaching him, and used those minutes to admire his features and attitude; he was playing some kind of videogame, but seeing him all alone made her heart ache: she couldn't resist anymore.

The girl got closer to the boy and greeted him with her usual bubbly tone.

"Good morning, Yang-Chan!"

The Chinese child slowly raised a very dark eyebrow, and stared at her, blankly: the girl couldn't understand whether he was irritated as she had interrupted him.

Nevertheless, she didn't let his impassivity discourage her. She kept on waving and her too long striped sleeve flipped in the wind.

"Were the lessons boring like always, Yang-Chan?" She chirped.

The boy merely shrugged, still observing that Japanese girl, who always wanted to talk to him. He couldn't state neither he detested staying with her nor he liked listening to her endless rambling; she was indifferent to him. However, it's true she looked like a pretty strange type, since she had been following him at school for days: through the corridors, in the garden, near the school gate...Nothing like that had ever happened to him in China: Japanese people are really weird, he ended up thinking again.

"H-hi, Lee-Kun," He brought himself to stutter in an incorrect pronounce. He didn't intend to seem rude: after all, she was only trying to chat with him.

He winced and got a little scared, when she abruptly tapped her foot, her hands were closed into a fist.

"How many times do I have to tell you I don't want to be called like that!"

Was she joking?, he asked himself, and proceeded to scan her gestures. It wasn't his fault if in China he was used to calling people by their last names.

"S-sorry, but I can't help-"

"It doesn't matter now!" She loudly said, cutting him short. "You'll learn to call me It-Chan in no time, Yang-Chan!" She sat next to him and playfully gave a punch on his shoulder. He avoided her touch, skilled, and returned to his beloved game: he needed to win. He couldn't waste time. He cracked a smile, when she stood up: he thought she was leaving.

However, it had been decided that one wasn't a day he could enjoy himself with his console. He frowned, after having noticed something was tickling his neck, but managed not to be distracted by that annoying feeling. He stayed focussed on piloting the virtual plane and shooting his enemies, but, despite his effort, his neck started tickling again.

"But what...?" He touched it, hoping it would stop, but it continued.

Then, he turned his head and started wondering how it was possible that videogame was able to make him forget about his surroundings: she was still there.

"Hm, could I ask what are you doing?" He questioned, embarassed because the girl had laid her chin on his shoulder: her ponytail felt like a duster on his skin.

"What game is it?" She pointed to the display.

He was so startled he accidentally turned it off.

"Oh, what a pity! You were about to win, weren't you?"

"Yeah...I was..." He answered, keeping the desparation into his heart, staring at the menu of the console, deadpan.

"I'm sorry. That's why you should save your datas very often," She solemnly announced, remembering when she lost very important datas of a Digimon game her father had bought for her eighth birthday.

The Chinese boy raised his eyebrows, after getting a bit far from her.

"Do y'play Digimon Cards too?" She looked excited.

"This one?" He muttered, while despair was gradually taking over him.

He didn't even have the time to completely turn the technological device off, since she quickly clicked on the icon, grinning. He could hear a familiar catchy tune, and then the famous logo appeared on the screen, the logo of the brand that had been entertaining children from around the world for ages.

"Neh, let me see your cards!" She approached him again and smiled at him. The boy bended his head, puzzled: he had never seen a girl so interested in Digimon. He stared at the girl as she nimbly moved her fingers on the display of the console she now had in her hands.

"Hm, you have got a Pumpkinmon, a Numamon..." She kept on scrolling: something caught her attention. "Wow, Yang-Chan, this Skullmammothmon is so cool! Wah! What about this Seadramon! You must be very lucky!"

Yang stood still, thinking about the many plausible reasons why Lee-Kun was so into Digimon and Digimon cards. Did she have a brother?, he hypothesized. Did she spend her time with boys more than with girls?

"So many powerful cards," She commented.

Yang ended up believing she knew Digimon because some of her classmates liked it. She was just curious about learning more about them, and finally she had had the chance to do that. However, his certainty collapsed, when she stood up and smirked.

"Your cards are extremely powerful, Yang-Chan!"

"Ehm, thanks, I suppose."

"Now I know what I want: a battle against you!"

A surprised expression appeared on the Chinese boy's face; he opened his mouth in disbelief.

"W-what?!"

The smirk disappeared for a moment.

"What's the problem?"

"You-you really know how to play the Digimon Card Battle Game?"

"Sure," She still couldn't understand why he was so dazed. "Well? What are we waiting for?" She took her console and turned it on.

Yang did feel lost: neither his older sister, Shaoyu, could play that game. Indeed, she had never tried playing it.

"C'mon!"

"Ehm," He started, putting the digital device on the curb. "I think there isn't enough time to-"

"That's all talk. We'll make it in time."

"No, we won't. Moreover, what's the point in doing this, if you already know my cards?"

Itsuki had to admit she liked how stubborn he sounded when it came about personal matters.

"Please, Yang-Chan," She got closer and closer, until their faces were a millimeter away from each other. He had never been in that situation, so near to a girl; never, even to his sister. He stared at her too weird violet orbs, a colour he wouldn't find too strange on the eyes of a cat, and, suddenly, he felt rather intimidated. Nevertheless, he couldn't hide he was amazed by the fact she wasn't afraid of his eyes like every children of his class.

"Then?" She sat down.

"Hm, I could accept a little bat-"

"Yeah!" She shouted and raised her arms. "I'm sure this will be extra-amazing!" She began humming a song, while in the background Yang sighed.

Both activated the wirless connection, and Itsuki felt the adrenaline running down her the other hand, Yang stayed composed. She was looking forward to discovering what kind of player he was: Careful? Logical? Cautious?

They swiftly placed the cards on both the Duel zone and the Online zone.

"Ok, Yang-Chan, let's decide who'll open the battle first. I'm heads, while you're tails," Generally, doing that mainly served to decide who could digivolve first, but that videogame had some different rules. He merely nodded, as a coin was flipped on the display. Heads.

The battle had started well, he sarcasticaly told himself. Furthermore, that was a battle against a girl, a Japanese girl; a girl, he soon learned, he shouldn't understimate. How fiery she can be?!, he blinked, flabbergasted because of the tenacity she showed during the battle.

"What do you think about my Kyubymon?" She crossed her arms, proud of herself and her cards.

"It's a quite rare card, isn't it?" He struggled to convince himself about her great abilities.

"It is. It's my most precious card."

He blankly looked at his Seadramon, the only Digimon that still was alive. The technology of that game was so advanced the player couldn't only see his Digimon like if it was real, but it was also possible to notice how tired and exhausted a Digimon was: Seadramon's movements were heavier, slower, and it was out of breath too.

"Yang-Chan, look at this!"

She drew a card from the deck and shouted "Card slash!", laughing.

Yang's eyes seemed to become bigger, as the Taomon appeared on the display.

"Oh well, I have got a very fast Seadramon!" He responded, realising the challenge had pumped him up.

However, despite that unusual confidence, Itsuki already knew her win was guaranteed.

She didn't hesitate: she drew another card from the deck and incremented Taomon's speed.

Yang understood he was in a dead end. The girl had kept her promise, at least: the battle had been a rapid one.

"Let's finish with grace. Y'arent't bad tho, Yang-Chan!"

At a certain point, Yang could swear Lee-Kun reminded him of someone. He ignored Seadramon was slowly "dying": he was too focussed on clearing his mind. There was something in her gestures, in the way she placed the cards, in her attitude that was familiar, too familiar. The realization hit his mind, when she drew another card from the deck before giving the final blow: she increased the Digimon's attack.

Yang found that choose nonsense. It was useless wasting time to strengthen your cards: the enemy could catch the chance and turn the whole game around. Unfortunately, but luckily for her, he couldn't do anything more, as he had used every card he had; he didn't have an ace in the hole either. When the decisive moment came, Yang could swear he saw an ingenious and sly boy instead of the girl; a boy who was wearing a baggy hoody, which totally covered his hair and eyebrows.

Game over Yang read: they had finished a minute before the end of recess.

"Y'know, when I play Digimon cards battle game, I always increase the attack at the end of the match, not because I want to be sure to win, but because I care about my Digimon. Sometimes, they become weaker after very powerful attacks," Itsuki got rid of the dust, which engulfed her surroundings, and cracked a smile. "Y're not bad, Yang-Chan. You're much better than that dork of Mako-Chan. Cat-boy, piano-boy, card-boy..."

On the other hand, despite the compliments, the guy was stockstill and looked stunned.

"What is it? If y're sad because you've lost, we can-"

"You-you are the King, aren't you?" He turned his head slowly, gradually returning to be the composed and shy boy he was.

"What are you talkin' about?" She asked, but it was clear she was pretending to be unaware.

"Y-you are the King, the one who won the tournament last year. I can't be wrong!"

A scared expression appeared on Yang's face, when the girl abruptly put a hand on his mouth.

"Shut up! What are you thinking to do?!"

The boy wiggled, realizing she was quite strong to be a girl.

"How do you know?!" She continued her questioning, while his face became more and more red.

She let him go, reluctant, forced by the fact her hand was blocking his breathing.

"I watched..." He tried calming his wheezing. "I watched it on TV, I swear! The boy did the same silly thing you did before!"

"Silly thing? It's called, ehm, strategy of course!" She was quite angry at the boy now, even though she didn't want to.

"Sorry for the silly, but no professional player would choose to lengthen the battle for the Digimon's sake."

She pouted, but, at the same time, she couldn't help but realising he wasn't so timid after all. He wasn't just used to being with other people, she assumed.

"There's no doubt, you're the Digimon King...Even though you're a girl..."

Itsuki crossed her arms, and listened to the noise made by the children, who were running to their classes.

"I'm not the K-I-N-G! I'm a girl! Can't you see that?"

He stared at her, seriously, and she couldn't resist to the instinct to blush visibly.

"There-There aren't many people who have got violet eyes," He argued. "Moreover, the King hasn't showed up anymore after that tournament."

Now the girl couldn't fight against her patience anymore.

"All right, I'm the Digimon King! I'm him, but nodoby can't know that! I just wanted to imitate Mommy!"

Her cheeks had become flushed and she clamped her jaws.

"E-ehy, Lee-Kun, I-I didn't mean to-" He stuttered: his shyness had come back.

"Excuse me, who are you?"

Both the children turned their heads at the sound of that third unexpected voice. A pair of fiery red eyes stared at the couple with anger and suspicion. His dark brown hair was messy and abuzz like a field hit by a tornado.

"Mako-Chan?" Itsuki was surprised. "What are y'doing here?"

"I was checking on you, maybe? You haven't come back to our class yet, but, as I can see, you're hanging out with this weirdo!" He pointed to the boy, who grew terrorized.

When he stepped forward, Yang thought he looked like a raging bull or a frightening stray dog..

She giggled, a bit embarassed, "Sorry, Mako-Chan. I was playing with Yang-Chan!"

"Yang who?"

Itsuki smiled in a very pleasant way to the petrified boy, reaching out and instilling courage.

"Moumantai, he's a friend of mine," She said, but Yang kept on shaking. Itsuki wondered what he would look like, if he was a black cat: his fur would be rippled because of the fear. "Yang-Chan, he's scary only apparently, right, Mako-Chan?"

He wasn't swayed by her cheerful attitude: he hadn't come there to play.

"Itsuki, what are you hiding from me? You were having an argument with this weirdo!" He glanced at the unknown boy. "What were you talking about? What's a King?"

Now it would have been the turn of Itsuki's fur to ripple, if she had been a cat.

"Uhm, it's a game. We were playing a game!"

Usually she was good at lying, but that day her greatness had disappeared: her hands were trembling as well as her legs.

"Don't lie to me! I've had enough!"

He threw himself against that stranger, and grabbed him by the collar.

"What do you want from her? Are you a cheap young abductor?"

Yang didn't hesitate to try punching him in defense.

She understood she was in a dead end, just like Yang during the challenge. She couldn't stand to see Yang in that situation; she didn't want to think it was her fault.

She sighed and opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly a ring echoed in the back of the gym. It was like if the time was standing still; the boys had stopped quarreling and the ring became more intense.

"What is happening?" Yang inquired, when also his pocket began vibrating.

Makoto got off of him and looked at his Digivice.

"There's a Digimon nearby!" Itsuki answered, as she looked at the Digivice display. "But..." She stared at Yang, who was examining his own digital device, kneeled.

"It had never happened before," He. "I had shut it off!"

He retreated, after seeing four eyes curiously observing him. He winced, his jaw was shaking.

"Don't tell me,Yang Chan, you're a Digimon Tamer too!" Itsuki came quickly to the conclusion, while Makoto had his mouth opened, in disbelief.

"This weirdo is a Tamer?! I mean, have you looked at him?! Does he look like someone who could go and fight without pissing himself? He must have an idiot Digimon."

The girl didn't yell at him because of how rude he had been. She stood still, elaborating the realization, while Yang was trying to find out what was happening.

"A Digimon." She blinked. "Yang-Chan, where is your Digimon?"

The boy felt lost, "Coronamon... is in my backpack."

"Then, let it go out!"

He opened his deep eyes in a comic way, "What? He would burn everything!"

Itsuki put her hands on the hips, "If you don't do this, I'll do it myself."

Still competely unaware of the whole matter, Yang did how it was told, even though he knew Coronamon was sleeping at that time.

"Hi, Yaaang! What have I done to deserve this pleasure?" The Digimon happily greeted his impassive Tamer, but it immediately stopped talking when Lunamon and Spadamon appeared before its eyes.

"Have you brought me some friends?" He innocently asked.

"I-I," He stammered, surprised because of the sight of the other two digital cretaures. All at once two hands made him stand up and someone firmly held his hand.

"We have to hurry. Hold your Coronamon tight," Itsuki ordered, sounding kind as usual. "We're leaving."

"Can I ask you what we are doing?! We have got lessons!"

The grumpy boy and Lee-Kun looked at him without transmiting any feeling.

"It-Chan! We aren't obliged to take him with us!" Makoto complained, wondering what that boy had to do with that situation.

"The more we are, the better it is, right? However, it's true it never happened during school time. We shouldn't-"

"Who cares! We can't stay here!" Makoto replied, irritated.

Yang failed at following their talking: it was like if they were speaking Arabian.

"Could anyone explain me what we are doing!" He shouted out of exasperation.

"We are going to push a Digimon back to Digi-World," She merely said and they started running as fast as they could, escaping from the football field, which was the only zone in which there weren't sensors.

Yang whined, "Please, anyone help me!"

"Don't worry, Yang-Chan! I'm here with you," Itsuki winked, still holding his hand to make his fear go away.

"Somehow," He whispered to himself. "I'm not feeling better either."

"This ride is so exciting! Yang, I'm feeling like if we are riding your bycicle!" Coronamon stated, happy. It felt like a merry-go-round, in its opinion.

They managed to get out of their school and raced through a route full of flowered trees. Blossoms gently fell on their heads, as they dashed as fast as they could: the ring of their digivices had become intolerable.

Makoto, who didn't even decelerate for a second, grunted, when he discovered the wild Digimon was in the Shinjuku Park.

"How is that every annoying Digimon comes in the park?"

He let himself cease running to update Itsuki on the news: he didn't intend to consider Yang at all.

"It's in the park."

"Again?" She commented, breathing heavily.

The girl looked at the other boy with a reassuring smile.

"Yang-Chan, everything will be ok, I promise."

Although he blinked and stayed mute, his mood was blatant, at least in Itsuki's opinion: his deep orbs were screaming in that endless silence of his quiet mind. She put a hand on his shoulder and he sat on a tiny wall. He touched his temples.

I'm-I'm not sure about what I should think now, he said in his mind.

"Yang-Chan, Moumantai. Sometimes Digimon are cute. Who knows? Maybe, this one is a little Agumon! Agumon are so adorable!" Itsuki giggled, trying to be a comfort for the boy.

Makoto looked at them, at a certain distance, despising everything that was happening around him.

"Tell me," He started, arrogance in his childish voice. "Have you ever fought against a Digimon?"

Yang shook his head, slowly petting Coronamon's fur. He couldn't figure out how he was feeling: bothered? Frightened? Embarassed? Who were they?, he asked himself. Why was he there? What were those children going to do? He felt ashamed and knew his ears had got a red shade.

"Of course not, Mako-Chan! You idiot!" The cobalt-haired girl shouted, defending that boy she really liked staying with.

"Then why did we have to take him with us? What does he have to do with us?! Look at him! He looks like an android!"

Itsuki refused to answer to her childhood friend and frowned.

"Makoto!" The boy looked down and stared at his Spadamon. "While you are talking here about this human matters, the Digimon is going to find a way to get out of the park!"

Spadamon was right, Makoto admitted, but he just couldn't stand the new presence. He wanted to get rid of him as soon as he could. The boy shrugged: after the battle, he wouldn't meet him anymore, will he? He was sure about the fact Yang was comparable to a mere passer-boy.

"Let's go, It-Chan."

"Let's go, Yang-Chan."

The chestnut-couloured-haired child groaned, after hearing Itsuki calling his name and holding his hand, again.

"Hm, Lee-Kun...The hand..." The Chinese boy asked, but she pretended not to hear him and began running again, with that silent bunny hanging onto her backpack. He didn't remember that Digimon's name: he was too bewildered.

Meanwhile, a young man was eating a tasty sandwich sat on a chair, which was in a very tidy kitchen.

"Could you help me, please?" A soft voice said and he nodded, even though he was a bit listless.

The woman smiled back at her step brother, who meekly cleaned a table.

"I'm still struggling to understand how you can cope with this mess of bakery and with those demanding children of the kindergarten," He stated, without caring about his sister's reaction.

"Don't worry. We are doing well," She assured him.

Bored, Masahiko Katou looked at Takato, while he was talking to his customers, polite as usual.

"I guess..." He wanted his computer so he could get out of the boredom.

The young man stood up and lazily ventured among the many workers who were having lunch there. There was a huge number of people and he could easily blend in and act as one of them.

"This is a bit dull. I wonder when Senpai

will come back," He complained and sat down again, this time near to the entrance of the bakery.

That nice and sunny day couldn't shine, if Jenrya Lee wasn't there. This attachment to the man obviously seemed and sounded strange, but, after all, he had made him understood what he really wanted to do in his life. If fate had never made them meet each other frequently, he would have been a waiter in the family inn. Nobody could imagine he was one of the best technicians at Hypnos; one of the youngest too. He was proud of what he had achieved.

Suddenly, he saw three children running with haste, and almost choked. The stool noisely fell on the floor because of his abrupt reaction.

"Makoto!" He shouted, going out. What was his nephew doing there? Wasn't he supposed to be at school at that time? He gulped, when he noticed his Senpai's daughter was there too.

Takato and Juri followed him, after having kindly excused with the customers.

"What is happening? I've heard you shouting!"

"Ehm, I might have seen Makoto," He was scared to look them in the eye.

"What are you talking about? Makoto is-"

"At school? Yeah, but he is there," The young man pointed at where the children were, and both Juri and Takato felt rage growing in their heart.

"What is he thinking to do?! He has come to play hooky now?!" The woman was perplexed.

Takato couldn't believe what he had seen: they were hallucinating for sure. However, he realised something was off, when Guilmon began fierely growing.

"A Digimon?" He muttered. Unfortunately, he had left the Digivice upstairs. Despite that, he couldn't stand there, hand in hand.

"I will bring him back," He told Juri and ordered Masahiko to stay with his wife, even though he wanted to go along with him: it was a problem concerning digital creatures!

"I'll come with you!"

"No, don't worry. I'll get him in no time."

Unfortunately for him, the trio had finally entered the park. Makoto and Spadamon rapidly ran to the zone dedicated to children, a lovely playground. Itsuki let a sigh of relief, since there weren't children at that moment.

"It would have been a problem, if there had been children there," She told Yang, who hadn't left his frightened expression yet.

The girl grabbed his hand again, ignoring his silent disappointment, and he led him near to a slide.

"Look, that one is a Digi-Tear."

The boy felt a shiver running down his spine at the sight of that big white hole, which was so bright it could make him blind.

Makoto joined their rusty conversation.

"The Digimon has already got out of the Digi-Tear and maybe he's already out of here too! Damnit! It's all the android's fault!"

"S-sorry," Yang lowered his head, and felt blood raising in his ears.

"Sorry?! This isn't enough!" The chestnut-coloured-haired boy shouted. "You jerk! We would have already sealed the Digi-Tear!"

Itsuki approached him with decision.

"Stop insulting him, you dork! Stop it!"

Yang couldn't believe she had effectively sedated him. Coronamon let himself add an embarassing whistle to the atmosphere.

"Let's find the Digimon together," She smiled, but suddenly something came from up above and hit her.

"Itsuki!" Makoto shouted and kneeled to ensure that she was fine. He noticed she was covered in a viscose substance.

"This filth is drool!" He winced.

"Eh?! Get if off me! Get it off me!" The girl whined.

Yang could only stare, confused, how Makoto stood up and snarled like an enraged tiger. He put his Digivice in front of his face.

"Where are you!? Where are you, putrid Digimon?!"

Itsuki and Yang saw a shadow moving on the trees and that substance appeared again. It was destroyed by Spadamon's sword.

"Good job!" Makoto grinned, and Spadamon came closer to him.

The strange material kept on trying to catch them, but Spadamon always managed to cut it.

"I'm the strongest Digimon Tamer here! You'd better come up, or I'm going to find you anyway!"

A quite big spider appeared before their eyes: it was an Arukenimon. It kept on throwing its spider webs.

Makoto's eyes grew angrier and more terrifying, while the two other Tamers stayed behind, observing the spectral scene: the Digimon didn't move from its position, just like a spider at the center of its web. Itsuki was giving her best to look as a courageous girl next to Yang. Therefore, even with her eyes closed, she pushed Lunamon to do something, but it was too scared.

"Please, Lunamon! Please!" However, it was hugging her, extremely scared.

Spadamon was getting tired and weak. It couldn't concentrate on the fight anymore. Even though Makoto was using his most powerful cards, he couldn't resist anymore.

"Card-Slash!" He shouted. "Card-Slash!"

Finally, the effort had reached its limit and it fell on the ground.

"Mako-Chan!" Itsuki called, when she saw the substance attaching to Makoto's body.

Yang observed how the girl ran to her friend, while he was standing still with Coronamon in his arms. He looked at Lee-Kun, as she helped the grumpy boy get rid of the spider web, and unconsciously admired her persistence, even though soon the web caught her too.

The digital spider, which had been stockstill since the fight started, pointed his sight on him. Yang felt his heart skip a beat.

"Oh no," He said, shaking. He felt Lee Kun's rabbit hanging onto his black jeans.

"I'm-I'm..."

Coronamon knew Yang didn't want it to use its moves, as it couldn't use them well, but it didn't intend to let Yang exposed to that danger. It took a deep breath and spitted fire. Yang fell on the ground and a lot of smoke raised in the air.

"I did it, Yang! I did it!" The digital lion hopped up and down, joyful because he had mastered his power, but soon a veil of disappointment grew on its face.

He could see a sort of big dinosaur, a red dragon, standing among the smoke next to another human he had never seen.

"Dad?!" Makoto stared in disbelief at his father, but he was too focussed on pushing the spider towards the Digi-Tear.

Growlmon was extremely strong, Makoto admired. In ten seconds, the Digimon had already fallen in the tear.

The man crouched down and freed the two children with a bit of disgust. Makoto and Itsuki were covered in that sort of saliva.

"Makoto...Itsuki..." He shook his head, sighing. "At least, I've come in time," It was what he said. He wasn't good at being the strict father, since he was the first one who used to play hooky when he was a child.

"Dad, it's not how you think. We were-"

"We have come here for a biology homework," Itsuki grinned, petting Lunamon, which was afraid it could have lost her partner.

"Yeah, sure, It-Chan, sure," He sighed once more, but couldn't help but smile at the child's attempt to defend his son.

Before letting the two children, Yang turned his head to look at them.

"Don't be sad, Coronamon. At least, you have just burnt a bush."

"Yeah..."

They quietly headed home, without being noticed.

It was true Takato wasn't a strict parent at all, but we can't say the same about Juri, who immediately slapped her son, when he came back home.

"Are you crazy? Your teacher has called me!"

"Sorry, Mum, but," He looked away for a second. "I didn't have choice! I'm a future Hypnos agent after all!"

"I know who you are! The future baker, if you keep on like this!"

Masahiko, instead, decided to take Itsuki home and ensured that she arrived in her mother's arms safe and sound.

He smiled, when his Senpai's wife thanked him for the favour. He did know she would scold Itsuki too, but he was relieved she was there with the woman now.

"You're an angel then, aren't you?" She said, sarcastically.

The girl shrugged, trying to smile, "Even angels can make mistakes, can't they?"

"We'll see...Come here now."

Masahiko had heard from Takato the Digimon was an Arukenimon. Fortunately, it didn't manage to engulf the children in its web and take them with itself in Digiworld.

"Why can't they stay away from this situation? Senpai's daughter could avoid risking her life in these battles..."

He told himself he should call Jenrya Lee soon, but he wasn't sure about what his reaction would be. She was his daughter after all, he highlighted in his mind, and this wasn't going to please him, absolutely not.


	8. Chapter 8

[ •8 In which the paradox has happened: the past has met the future. Makoto and Itsuki are going to spend a day with their parents' younger selves, dealing with how they are coping with their partners' departure. Preapare to a slow peace, as slow as the unstoppable flow of time.]

"Be careful, you three, this Digitear is different from the other ones. We still don't know how, but it has got an unimaginable power. Please, be careful, Young Tear Jumpers."

Those were the words Jenrya Lee said to the children, before allowing that operation to begin. Those were also the words Makoto carefully listened to, when they were in front of the man, and then totally ignored, immediately after he had arrived near to the DigiTear.

He cockily laughed in the moment he saw the Digimon they had to face. However, at the same time, he also felt a bit upset.

"C'mon, Itsuki," He turned to one of his companions. "Your father must be kidding. We just have to fight against a heap of useless tin!"

Itsuki turned her head to him, keeping her hair and googles with her hands, indeed, with her sleeves,like always.

"Google-Vision says it is a Clockmon!" She shouted, after having checked what kind of Digimon it was thanks to an application of her red technological googles.

Makoto laughed again, this time more loudly. Spadamon smirked, trying to copy his Tamer's expressions.

"And to think Uncle Jen wanted those stupid semi-adults to carry on this mission at all costs," The coconut-haired boy stated, without caring the man was actually listening to everything he was saying from his phone.

Makoto pointed his fiery red eyes on Yang, who was merely standing and waiting for the two leaders to decide what to do.

"Don't tell me," The boy started. "You are afraid of this big clock too, aren't you, Sorcerer?"

Yang didn't answer and hid his head, lying it on Coronamon's fur: how could Makoto make him ashamed everytime they were in the middle of an operation?

The Chinese child cleared his troath and brought himself to speak.

"What do you want to do?"

Makoto yawned, while Itsuki approached Yang and smiled to encourage him. That Digimon was a boring one, Makoto thought: its movements were rusty and it looked like a very old toy. It was useless to observe its behaviour like Jenrya Lee had told them, he ended up believing: they didn't have to rush, but he also knew they could push it back to Digiworld in a blink of eye.

"Itsuki, let's put an end to this ridicolous show," He yawned once more. "Spadamon and me would like to play videogames today, so let's do this and go back home."

The girl didn't seem to dislike that proposal as well as Yang, who wanted to head home too.

"Shall I start, Mako?"

The boy nonchalantly beckoned to the Digimon to make it understand the fight could begin. Then he turned to Itsuki.

"Don't move you two. We don't need three Digimon for this scrap metal."

"But..." She objected.

However, Spadamon was already running on the abandoned railway: it was incredible places like that one still existed in Japan, in 2033.

The blue digital lion decisevely drew its sword and threw itself against its opponent, which was wandering around that isolated zone. It looked like a brain-dead, Makoto mentally laughed again. Some Digimon were really useless, he grinned, proudly. He knew Spadamon would send it to Digiworld using just a move.

"This is so easy!" Coronamon shouted, as its companion was preaparing to attack. "Look at Clockmon, Yang! It's a weak Digimon, isn't it? It isn't even understanding what is happening!"

Yang nodded: that mission was going on very smoothly.

"Still," Makoto yawned, seeing his Digimon had reached Clockmon and was about to hit it with its powerful weapon. "You can't consider a battle as a proper one, if you can't even get to use a card. I'd have liked to Card slash at least twice today!" Theirs couldn't be called a Card Slash , though.

Spadamon hit Clockmon without hesitation; it wasn't even recoursing to one of its moves: it was merely utilizing its sword. Everyone waited in silence for the end of the operation, but something went wrong: Spadamon's sword hadn't been effective at all.

Makoto blinked and stared at Clockmon, which was standing still, unharmed.

"What?!" He snarled. "This must be a cheap joke! Spadamon, try again."

Spadamon obeyed, but the results were the same as the moments before. The blue lion growled, losing the patience after having hit the clock too many times. It didn't move.

"Maybe Spadamon needs help, Mako-Chan!" Itsuki suggested, smiling at Lunamon, since she wanted her Digimon to shine like Makoto's.

"No, Itsuki, your Digimon can't help Spadamon," He looked at Yang, who was carefully listening to the other Tamers, trying to figure out what they wanted to do. "They are a couple of bums: how could you think they would manage to do what Spadamon can't?"

Itsuki huffed and crossed her arms, pointing her violet eyes on the secluded railway on which Spadamon was attacking the wild Digimon insistently.

"Then what are you going to do? Let's hear!" She was feeling frustration slowly growing inside, but she was extremely good at keeping anger into her soul.

However, she didn't get to hear the answer, since Makoto took his Digivice and chose a card from the technological deck.

"Card Slash!" He shouted, as he shook his Digivice and the card activated.

"Look, Itsuki," He arrogantly cracked a smile.

Spadamon felt power running in its digital veins and thanked his tamer.

"Take that!" It shouted with every blow of air it had in its lungs made of datas, hoping that action would give it even more strength. Nevertheless, its bravado disappeared when Clockmon was still there, this time showing a cocky expression.

"What the..." Makoto clenched his hands in fists. "Why isn't..." His anger was reaching the top.

"Mako-Chan," Itsuki tried again. "We are Tamers too, have you forgot? We are here to collaborate, right, Yang?"

It didn't matter how many times she would say that: Makoto had already found another idea.

"We need to Digivolve. Spadamon needs to Digivolve!"

Itsuki and Yang stared at him with disbelief.

"Why are you so coward, c'mon! I've already decided I will!"

He had already clicked on the icon of the evolution card, when a deep voice stopped him.

"You aren't doing anything, Makoto!" Jenrya Lee's voice talking on the phone was clear and peremptory.

"Why shouldn't I? Just why can't we Digivolve?" The coconut coloured-haired boy apathetically asked.

"I've already told you: you aren't allowed to Digivolve, since it can damage your surroundings! Can't you remember what you did in Odaiba?"

He frowned and torqued his jaw: he clearly remembered that their digivoluted

Digimon destroyed lots of cars and smashed many windows back then.

He shook his head, getting rid of those thoughts, "What about those three, hm? What about them? They're allowed to do everything, aren't they? Only because they are the real squad!"

After hearing her father's voice sighing, Itsuki marched towards the boy and took the Digivice from his hands: she agreed with her father, and she was sure Yang agreed with him too.

"Mako," the man's tone was firm. "I'm doing it for your own good. Furthermore, this Digitear is too dangerous for you kids. This Digimon isn't a normal one. Please, return to Hypnos. We are sending Masaru, Leonid and Darya there-"

"No!" He complained, angrily. "We don't need help! We don't want them! If-If Spadamon can't do it, if you don't allow it to digivolve," He closed his red eyes. "Then, I'm pushing it to Digiworld by myself, Uncle Jen!"

"What?!" The man exclaimed, but it was too late.

Makoto turned to Yang and threw his phone to him, "Take care of my phone. Pray I'll be able to keep myself from destroying that wreckage."

Yang blinked and stared aimlessly to the phone, from which he could hear Lee-San giving orders.

The boy jumped on the railway and joined Spadamon.

"We are winning together," He said in a strange encouraging tone.

While he was pushing the heavy Digimon to the Digitear, which was near to the gate of a dark tunnel, Itsuki jumped too and reached him, indignant.

Yang was really feeling helpless, with that phone in his hands, listening to the Hypnos members' learned conversations, and preaparing himself to the imminent brawl: he had got used to the two childhood friends' extremely confidential relationship.

"Mako-Chan, you are an idiot! Haven't y'listened to Daddy? This Digimon may be infected! Can't y'see how weird its behaviour is?" She laid her slightly tanned hands on her hips. "Lunamon hasn't got a good feeling either."

The boy brought himself to respond with his usual wiseass attitude, despite the effort he was putting to carry out the mission: both Spadamon and him was silently rejoicing, since they were slowly leading Clockmon into that tunnel.

"Oh please, stop raining on my parade! If you really want to be useful to me, convince your father to-", He breathed heavily to give another push. "Allow our Digimon to digivolve!"

"I can't! Just do what you're told or at least let us help you!"

"Never!"

The cobalt-haired girl didn't intend to give up. Therefore, she began pushing the Digimon along with her companion.

"See? Together we will reach the Digitear faster!" She smiled triumphantly, since Makoto didn't answer: he was the one who had given up.

Then she raised her head to look at the Chinese boy, who was slowly following their movements. "Yang-Chan! Don't worry about us! Be our reporter!" She winked to him and Yang quietly nodded, even though Lee-San's voice was becoming louder and louder, and now he could also hear the noise made by the running Hypnos members.

"Mako? Hey, Makoto, are you three arriving?"

The Chinese boy gulped. His tanned hands started shaking. What should he do? , he frantically wondered, turning his head from the left to the right: Lee-Kun and Makoto had almost entered the gate.

"Ehm , I'm...I'm Wen Yang, Lee-San."

"Yang? Where is Makoto? I need to talk to him."

Yang didn't find the courage to give an answer: he was too afraid of his reaction. His fear grew even more when the man let a heavy sigh come out directly from his lungs.

"Well, put on Itsuki, then."

Now he was terrorized: he stared at Coronamon with his deep eyes, looking for support.

"Ehm, Lee-San I don't know how-"

"What are you kids doing in the world, Yang?" The man inquired with urgence: something was definitely off.

"Lee-Kun and Makoto have entered the tunnel just now," The child quickly said and closed his orbs, when the man began issuing orders again. Now Yang couldn't see his companions anymore.

Both Makoto and Itsuki sheltered their sight with their arms because of the very bright light emanating from the Digitear. In that dark place, enlightened by the blinding glow of the digital hole, Itsuki could feel a sinister aura: surely, she felt like if that zone didn't belong to their world at all. In order to avoid thinking about the burden that had formed in her heart, she playfully gave a punch on Makoto's shoulder.

"See, Mako-Chan? I was right! We are unbeatable as a team. If Yang had joined us, we would have even arrived here sooner."

Makoto was out of breath because of the strain: he wasn't an athletic boy, he couldn't hide that obviousness, even though he was next to Itsuki and didn't want to.

"Yeah, yeah, but we haven't finished our task yet, so, Itsuki, stop babbling and put your butt in gear!" He snapped and wore his father's yellow goggles. Then he touched the cold back of the Digimon and wondered if that digital creature hadn't died, though he knew Digimon didn't die like humans, but melted away in a bunch of datas.

They began pushing it again, appreciating the effort of their small Digimon too. Finally they were at the entrance of the Digitear. The children found themselves drawn by the endless whorls it created: they were almost ensnared in that apparently interminable vortex.

Makoto violently shook his head, making his rebel strands a complete mess.

"This isn't the moment to lounge, let's go."

They pushed the Digimon once more.

"Bye-bye, I guess," Itsuki joked, before sending the Clockmon into the digital hole.

However, the children realised they couldn't move the Digimon anymore. They increased the strength of their arms, but nothing happened: it was like if the Clockmon had grown roots.

"What-is-happening?" Makoto winced, feeling his veins pulsing because of the extreme endeavor.

"Game over. Chrono breaker!"

They heard and it was like if the time was increasingly slowing down.

For the first time, Clockmon moved and Makoto and Itsuki fell into the Digitear, without being able to react.

It's all Jenrya Lee's fault! If he had let us digivolve, we would have never been in this trouble. There isn't anyone I hate as much as Jenya Lee!, that was the only thing Makoto could think about.

Clockmon jumped into the hole too, and Itsuki and Makoto, holding each other's hands, scared, were soon hit by a blue glow. Everything became white.

xxx

"..."

"Hello? Hello? Hello, Yang? Are you there?" Jenrya Lee's voice came from the phone again, reaching Yang's ears. However, he couldn't hear anything anymore: the fact that, even though the Digitear had disappeared, his companions hadn't come back yet, was making him feel uneasy.

When Coronamon provided certainty to his doubts, he fell on his knees, incredulous.

"Hello? Hello, Yang? Our squad is coming there," The man's voice insisted.

The boy brought himself to speak: his tone was as feeble as a weak wind that makes some yellowish leaves sweetly falling on the ground.

"They have gone."

"Gone? What are you talking about, boy?"

"They have gone, Lee-San. Everything has gone. The Digitear, Makoto, Lee-Kun. Everything."

That was the first time in his life Yang heard Lee-San swearing.

xxx

Like always, Itsuki was the first one to restore consciousness. She stood up and saw she was full of bruises on her arms.

That's bad, she thought, and proceeded to check if her googles had broken because of the impact. Fortunately, they were just covered in dust and dirt.

"Are-Are you okay, It? Oh My, I thought you two were dead, oh My, oh My!" Lunamon was clearly in panick.

"Moumantai, Lunamon, we are fine," She picked the digital bunny up to calm it down. "Before metting you, Makoto and me experienced a similar situation in Digiworld."

She petted its head tenderly, and turned her head to the boy, who was fast asleep on the ground. Itsuki crouched down, realising how that diable looked innocent while he was sleeping.

"Mako-Chan, wake up," She hushed, but didn't hesitate to shake him when he didn't answer.

"Ohi, It-Chan, good morning," He sat down, scratching his messy hair. He yawned and looked at her with widened eyes, when she she gave him a punch.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"Idiot! Idiot! It's all your fault if we don't know where we are!"

Her angry face reminded him of what had happened. He remembered about the Clockmon and the Digi-Tear.

"Are we in Digiworld, then?" He asked, keeping himself away from her, being afraid of another punch.

"How could I know that, if I woke up two minutes ago?!" She stood up and breathed in slowly, "Ok, I have to say calm!"

"Yeah, you're right. Relax. Mountanai."

She abruptly turned to him and shouted.

"It's not mountanai, you dork! It's moumantai!"

He nervously laughed, while Spadamon and Lunamon stared at the couple, confused.

"Ok, moumantai, moumantai," She repeated, feeling better. "Firstly, let's find out where we are."

She put on her technological googles and a map appeared in front of her eyes. Makoto looked at how her worried expression made way for happiness.

"Mako-Chan! Mako-Chan! We are still in Shinjuku! We are at the park!"

"Really?!Well, let's go to Hypnos then!"

"Yes!" Her violet eyes were transmitting joy: she was terrorized she couldn't see her father and mother anymore, like those days they ended up in Digiworld.

They got out of the bush they had fallen in, and the park showed itself before their eyes. Nevertheless, both could perceive a sense of alienation as they were walking.

"Something is wrong," They simultaneously said and Makoto realised he was blushing wihout knowing why.

"But what?" Itsuki continued, inspecting her surroundings.

There were the usual trees, the usual lovely streets, the usul grass and even the playing children: what was wrong,then? Itsuki couldn't understand.

"I'm out of clue," Makoto finally admitted. "It may be a Digitear effect: they cause dizziness sometimes, right?"

Itsuki slowly shook her head and her little ponytail bended to the right.

"No, there must be something..." She laid her chin on a hand, deep in thought. Makoto waited for her to put an end to the brainstorming, until when she pointed to somewhere, almost surprised.

"Mako-Chan, look at that!"

Makoto followed her finger and saw the zone of the park in which there was the so-called "Guilmon's house", a really dear place to his father.

"What about that?"

Itsuki took his chubby cheeks with her striped sleeves, "Mako-Chan, tell me: do you ever stop to observe the wonderful nature of this park?"

"Hm," He fought against his embarassment. "Not really. Why should I do such a boring thing?"

Itsuki sighed, "Look, look carefully at the Guilmon's house!"

Makoto wanted to make her stop being so paranoid, but opened his mouth when the realisation hit home.

"Guilmon's house...Is..."

He looked at the wall that closed the gate of the shelter and rubbed his red eyes to see if he was imagining everything.

"What is happening here, It-Chan?" A shade of fear could be sensed in his childish voice. "We could go into it some hours ago! Today I've passed from here before going to school, before going to Hypnos too!"

"This is odd. Has your father never told you about a possible-, "She shrugged. "I don't know, a possible restoration?"

"Why should people care about that shack and pay for its renovation? That's nonsense, Itsuki!" He shouted, rasing his arms with emphasis.

"Hey, I'm just hypothesizing! That's what Daddy always does!"

Like if a thunder had just struck his head, Makoto took his phone to call his friend's father, but it didn't work.

"Oh, you stupid phone! Turn on! Don't tell me you have broken because of the fall!" He moved it up and down, hoping it would magically switch on.

"Mine isn't working either," The girl highlighted, pressing its central button without getting any results.

"What should I do?! Mum and Dad aren't going to buy me another one! What should I do? I can't live without it! I had downloaded that game, in which I had finally reached the eleventh level and I had got that fast car and-"

"Honestly, shut up, Mako-Chan, really," Itsuki crossed her arms and sighed for the nth time. "Hmmm, we could ask someone about what's going on."

The boy stopped whining and let an "Uh" escape from his mouth.

"And let's hear, who you would ask for informations?"

"I don't know. What about that boy?"

Makoto focussed his attention on the guy Itsuki was referring to and raised an eyebrow.

"It seems like he's the only one who has noticed Guilmon's home is encircled by that sad wall," Itsuki tried to persuade him.

"I'm not so sure. He looks as weird as Yang. I mean, he has been in front of the shelter since we arrived here!"

"Then what are you going to do? Have you got a more interesting idea?"

She knew he would never manage to come up with a new idea. Actually, she could just grin, when he began talking about his scientific-fiction theories he had started liking recently.

"What if we are in a parallel world? A world in which Mum and Dad are the kind of parents every child wants to have, and your father lets us do everything, without being a pain in the-"

He stopped talking, when he realised she wasn't there anymore. He could see her skating towards that boy.

"Hey, you! Could I ask you for an information?" She weaved at the boy, smiling.

The stranger averted his peculiar orbs from the shelter and winced, after noticing a hyperactive girl was approaching him, skating.

She arrested her dash with skill and grace, and for a moment she stared at him intensively. She looked confident.

"Hi! Could I ask what's happening here?"

The boy blinked, observing every feature of the girl: he was amazed by those alluring amethyst orbs, who reminded him of one of his closest friends.

"Hey, hey, you?" She spoke with that cheerful voice.

He woke up from the trance and clumsily scratched his head, "Yeah, I'm here. What would you like to know from me, ehm, Miss?" He looked at the ground, moving his pupils from side to side. He hoped he would sound polite: his best friend was teaching him how to behave properly, when it came about girls.

"It's about this sort of hut...Do y'know what's happening here?"

Itsuki could swear a wave of melancholy had reached the boy's rounder face.

"It has been like that for years."

"For years?" Itsuki bended her head: maybe she had misunderstood what he was saying.

"Yeah, for years. Who knows when they'll open it. Maybe never," He lowered his head and some nut-coloured locks fell on his forehead. Quickly, his expression changed. "No, I'm sure it'll be opened again someday. It doesn't matter when: they'll definitely open it!"

The boy turned to the stranger girl and noticed now there was another boy next to her, who was blatantly taller than him.

"Ehm, sorry, I was spacing out," He scratched his head again, but his awkwardness grew when he noticed the two strangers were looking at him puzzled.

"Y've said it has been closed for years, haven't you? The girl inquired, doubt laced in her voice.

"Unfortunately..." He sighed, turning his head to the shelter again.

"I've told you he's a weirdo..." Makoto whispered in her ear, but he regretfully resalised she wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. Instead, she was acutely trying to fathom the boy's depths, most likely in order to get to the source of his retained melancholy.

Itsuki, Itsuki, why are you made in this way? Why can't you mind your own damn bussiness? Is it so difficult not snooping around?, those were Makoto's countless questions, which were floating in his mind. He was sure Itsuki would begin parsing the poor fellow. He knew her; after all, he was her childhood friend, who had known her since they were two unconscious babies. He knew she wouldn't give up until he said what was upsetting him. He was certain she would do everything she could to find a solution to his misgivings, as he knew Itsuki cared for everyone's problems.

However, even though he usually would admire in awe her attempting to erase sorrow from the world, that day they had more important matters to resolve.

"Itsuki, we have no time to stay here, looking at this gutless type. We have to return to Lunamon and Spadaman. Let's leave him in the middle of his-"

"Mako-Chan, doesn't he look too familiar to you?" She asked, hushing.

"No, why'd he?"

She frowned, wondering why he couldn't be of help for once.

"Let's go, Itsuki!" He said again, but Itsuki had already decided what she would do.

"What's your name, anyway?"

Those words echoed in the suppressed atmosphere, and pushed the boy to turn his head; he immediately apologized to them.

"Sorry, I've been spacing out so much lately, but I'm fine!" He smiled good-naturedly. "What were you saying?"

Since Makoto wasn't a kind of boy who hid his feelings so easily, he didn't falter before expressing the hatred he was cultivating in his soul.

"She has just asked you for your name," He snarled. "Even though I don't know why she is so interested in it," He felt entitled to add that, and got a glare from the girl.

"There's no problem at all, really! I'm Takato Matsuda, nice to meet you two!"

Itsuki stood still, complimenting to herself since she had figured out who he was in a short time. On the other hand, Makoto was flabbergasted, blinking and gulping now and then.

"You gotta be kidding me!" He growled at Takato, who was startled because of his mean countenance.

"What's happening with your friend, Miss...?"

"I'm Itsuki," She grinned. "And this is Makoto."

Makoto barked towards her too, "Why are we introducing ourselves to our-"

He had been cut short for lots of times that day, he thought at the sight of Itsuki's baggy sleeve on his mouth and nose.

"Are you sure you are ok?" The boy asked, pointing his two orbs on the couple.

"Sure. Makoto is just a big chat-box, that's all."

"I see. Well, you're definitely an unusual pair," He unexpectedly laughed, and Itsuki could only smile, happy he still was her Uncle Takato, after all. She was affectionated to his bubbly and clusmsy attitude.

"Think about yourself..." She heard Makoto mumbling.

He couldn't believe what he was experiencing: his father, the younger version of his father was there, scratching his head...Like a pure idiot. Makoto pressed his lips, annoyed. That Digitear had led them to the past!

The boy shook his head furiously. He shouldn't be so surprised: after having ended up in Digiworld because of those digital holes, he had got used to scientists and their insane experiments; he had got used to that real science fiction he couldn't digest , before getting in touch with their strange and complex mathematic world for the first time. How Itsuki could live with one of those mad scientists and love him so much was a mystery to him.

"Why, why do we always have to be their guinea pigs?" He asked, irritated, after that Takato had left them, because he had to "hurry to his parents' bakery"; that was strange to hear, as it had been his father's bakery since he was born and, maybe, since their parents got married.

"He has invited us, though," Itsuki tried to cheer up herself and her friend, even if it was extremely hard to be joyful in that situation. She looked at Lunamon and flopped on the ground as if every strength present in her body had left her.

"It-Chan!" Makoto called her, frightened, but he relaxed his muscles, since she brought her knees closer to her chin.

"It's all your fault, Mako-Chan," She sighed. "Now, how will we return to the present?"

He kept on fiddling with a pebble Spadamon had found near to the bush.

"It's those scientists' fault, instead! I'm a Tear Jumper, not a Time Jumper! I'm not the guilty here: they never have got procedures to solve troubles like this!"

"But if you had listened to Daddy and Masahiko..."

"Don't be dumb, Itsuki! I was just...Working, that's it."

He threw the pebble and then caught it, beginning that monotonous game again, as Itsuki shifted a bit.

"But an employee obeys his employer, that's what Yagami-Sensei told us at school, remember? So, y'should have obeyed Daddy too!"

The repetitive game ended. He caught the pebble for the last time and closed his hands in fists, boiling into rage.

"Since you put it like that, it's your fault: you could have stayed with that bed-wetter, far from the railways. You could have let me alone and things wouldn't have gone like this! But you always have to be in my way!"

"You idiot!" She slapped him, exhausted. The peace-keeper had lost her ability to stay calm and controlled. "Can't you imagine how our parents are feeling? Can't you imagine how lonely Yang-Chan is feeling? Can't you just strive to think over and realise we are stuck here, in the past, without our mums and dads, without...Mommy and..." She looked at the ground, her violet eyes wandering somewhere else.

Makoto didn't even want to think she was clearly on the edge of tears. Why did he have to be the one who pushed her to cry? Couldn't he be Yang for once? He put a hand on her baggy cardigan, wishing he had killed that Clockmon and sent its datas into the Digitear.

"Digitear? Digitear! Sure! It-Chan, we just have to find another Digitear and we will be back home."

"We are in 2002 or 2003, Makoto," She reminded him, her tone was low. "Digitears can't appear here. They don't exist at this time. Your father was sad because Guilmon hasn't come back yet."

"But we did come here by a Digitear!"

She nodded, staring at him with comprehension. Maybe he was right, after all.

"What if you found Clockmon?" Suggested Spadamon, which was looking at the whole scene studying his partner's behaviour.

"What about that, It-Chan?"

She wasn't so sure.

"We don't know if Clockmon will come here again. It's the real Time Jumper here..." She gave the Digimon a bright smile and Makoto felt his heart lighter. She crouched down to pet it on the head and picked Lunamon up.

"It," The Digimon timidly began. " We have got a chance to return home."

"What is it?" She asked, a bit excited.

"Yeah, what is it?" Makoto approached Itsuki and waited for an answer by that Digimon he considered useless.

Lunamon felt too many eyes looking at itself: it was like suffocating, from the Digimon's point of view.

"I'm...I'm-"

"C'mon! Don't be a pissant like Yang!" Makoto shouted and Itsuki stubbed his toe.

"I'm sure Clockmon has used all its energy with that Chrono breaker..."

"So?! Itsuki! Make this Digimon talk like a normal living being!" He raised a punch in the air and the Digimon's fur rippled.

"I think Clockmon won't be able to leap through time until tomorrow comes!" It closed its eyes with its paws and started shaking.

Itsuki cradled her partner, proud it had managed to be of help.

"Mako-Chan, this means Clockmon is here too! What if it fell with us and escaped before we woke up!"

"I'm not so convinced."

Itsuki sat down and her baggy jumper got covered in dust. The leaves of the bush fell on her baggy cardigan. The girl took her purple Digivice from a pocket of her jeans.

"It-Chan, it could have been broken, you know, like my phone," He sat down too and tried to follow her movements. "It's not going to turn-"

"It has turned on," She grinned at him, making him understand she wasn't mad at him as well as sad anymore. Lunamon and Spadamon's suggestions had lighted her up and made her return to her usual, cheerful self.

"The map isn't detecting any Digimon, but this doesn't mean it isn't in 2003 or 2002. We have to wait, Mako-Chan," Then she frowned. "Wait until midnight. I hope we'll be lucky."

Makoto didn't find the right words to respond. He merely looked at the sky and the clouds, and judged him stupid when for just a moment he was surprised those were alike the ones of his time.

"Really, I'm feeling like my stomach is in for one crazy roller coaster ride. I mean, that was my father. That boy is the man who gave me birth and always assures I have washed my teeth after dinner," He spread his legs, being tired of staying sat with his legs crossed. "I wonder what Mum and your parents are like, Atsuko's parents, Kenta-San, Akemi and that imperfect homonymous of mine. What are we going to do now, It-Chan? I don't intend to stay behind a bush the whole day, waiting for our Digivices to ring."

Itsuki giggled and got too close to him.

"Mako-Chan, you have just given me an idea!"

"What?" He fought against the blood raising to his cheeks.

"We can play with our parents!"

"Are you joking?" He couldn't believe what she wanted to do.

"I'm deadly serious! Wouldn't it be cool? I want to play with Daddy and Mommy the whole afternoon!"

"Yeah, sure. I bet you wanna eat cupcakes with them at tea time too," He sarcastically said.

"Mako-Chan! You won't get this chance again!"

"I don't mind."

"Never again!" She insisted, attempting to gather every facets of her sweetes side in her eyes.

He winced and noisely swallowed. He rolled his red orbs to the grass, resisting to her enchanter skills.

"Weren't you the one who was whining a while ago, because you couldn't see your beloved Daddy anymore?" He pretended to be crying in a very impolite way.

She could have slapped his face again, but preferred standing up.

"Goodbye, Mako-Chan. Call me, when Clockmon is detected by your Digivice! Take care of Lunamon! Y'know how our parents would react, if they saw our Digimon!"

"Yes, take care of yourself," He muttered and continued saying he didn't care, while he was looking at her slender silhouette getting further and further, until he couldn't see her anymore.

"Who cares! Who cares!" He shouted. "She can do whatever she wants. I'll be behind this bush with you two, calling her when it's necessary!"

Those were his convictions, at least at the beginning.

"I'll be here, looking at the sky, on this cold, very cold and wet grass, without my phone...Without the only human who belongs to my time...All alone...Wait, It-Chan! Damn it! Where are you thinking to go without me?! Don't abandon me!"

The boy frantically reached her, before she went out of the park. She grinned at the sight of his distinctive eyeballs bursting of worry.

"I really know you well. Y're so predictable, Mako-Chan!"

"That's not true," he retorted, embarassed. "I had just forgot I wouldn't be able to call you, since my phone is broken!" He coughed, "Where are we going, anyway?"

They finally walked through the gate, heading for that world they weren't so acquainted with, and not ironically speaking.

"I wish he'd stop acting like a sissy," Spadamon could just sigh, realising his Tamer and Coronamon's were alike, after all."

"I hope we'll really find Clockmon," Lunamon sighed too.

xxx

"You must be joking, Itsuki!"

"Again, I'm not."

She smiled at the building in front of them, noticing how it had changed though the years: she could already see the door was different as well the windows. Moreover, she was sure the apartment, which was next to it, wasn't recognisable at all.

"Don't you feel at home?" She chirped.

"No, I'm not. I feel like everything is going to crumble at any minute," He pointed at the walls, "Look at the bricks! Do you still think this bakery is stable?"

"But it's your grandparents' bakery!"

He crossed his arms, lethargically.

"I wish this bakery had never existed."

"I love it, instead! Mommy and Daddy love it too, since your parents' bread is so tasty!" She opened the door and entered the bakery. "And the brioches! The brioches make me feel like if I'm flying!"

"Such a weird type you are."

Makoto opened his mouth when he arrived inside the building. Nothing had changed there, everything was the same, even the floor and tables. He couldn't help but touch the shelves on which there were some sackets of fuel for sale, and the containers full of soft buns.

"Come here, Mako-Chan!" Itsuki beckoned to him. "The Guilmon Bread! I remember when your father preapared a huge amount of Guilmon loafs for the anniversary of the bakery!" She could recall that night, even though both Makoto and Itsuki were seven-year-old children back then.

"That was Grandpa's idea," He underlined, wondering why he had got so emotional near to a mere billboard.

Like usual, the bakery was animated by many people chatting, and lots of noises coming from the kitchen could be heard. In that atmosphere of racket and dynamism, Makoto and Itsuki managed to discern a cheerful boy, who was talking blithely to a girl, a joyful dark-brown-haired girl.

"May I be struck by a lightining!" He opened his mouth once more and stared at the girl, who wasn't apparently there to buy something. He did recognize who she was thanks to her locks and the boy's clumsy gestures.

"Oh My God. Just look at that jerk of my father, that lazy, falsely grown-up adult! He did care about the bakery when he was younger!"

Itsuki bended her head, amused, "They were so close also when they were around our age. So cute! I wonder what they are speaking about."

"Itsuki, they are talking to each other like we are doing now. I don't mind! What it does matter is that my father isn't taking his job seriously. I mean, he's wasting time with that nightmarish girl of my mother!"

"Auntie Juri is the sweetest person I've ever known, Mako-Chan! How can you compare her to a nightmare?"

He shoved Itsuki away and decided to march towards the couple, so he could give Takato Matsuda a lesson. He turned to Itsuki for a moment. "I've got to know my father can't order me to work hard at the bakery, since he was a slacker!"

"Mako-Chan, wait!" She tried, but they boy had already arrived near the counter.

"Excuse me! What are you exactly doing?!"

Takato and Juri immediately stopped talking at the sound of that childish voice.

"Makoto!" Takato didn't find difficulties at remembering how he was called. "You have really come!"

Makoto began growling because of the happiness he had called him with, but didn't manage to achieve his goal, since Itsuki joined him to prevent his stubborn antics from damaging the peace around the couple.

"Hi, Takato! Hi J-" Fortunately she stopped in time.

"Hello, Itsuki-Chan! Welcome to the Matsuda Bakery, you two. Would you like to taste our Guilmon bread?" He smiled in the best way he could, and repeated what his father would say when new customers came to their bakery.

"Listen, you're-"

"You're so kind! I'm curious to taste it! It looks awesome from there," Itsuki quickly answered, cutting Makoto short.

During the whole conversation, Juri could just ask herself who they were. Only after that Takato had let the two children taste the specialty of the bakery, he realised he had left Juri standing in silence.

"Ahhh! Juri! They are two, how to say it, two new friends of mine! Makoto and Itsuki!"

Makoto was ashamed of how clumsily he was acting.

"Nice to meet you," She politely bended. "I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Juri Katou."

Itsuki was about to drop her loaf: she was enchanted by her correct behaviour and the fact she looked like a pretty ballerina.

"I'm pleased to meet you too!" She raised an arm, shouting too loudly. Then she rapidly whispered in Makoto's ear, "What a shame you aren't a gentleman. I bet your mother has tried to make you similar to herself. What a shame."

Juri turned her head to Takato, "Where do they come from, though?"

"Now that you mention it, I don't know that. Where are you from, guys?" He questioned to the pair, and both Juri and Takato could swear they caught a shade of paleness on Itsuki's face for a little moment.

"We are from...From Kyoto, of course!"

"I don't belong to a place full of dolls dressed up in kimono. Tradition doesn't fit me," Makoto gained a powerful nudge from the girl.

"I see. So you are on a trip!" Takato said, believing in their lie.

Itsuki shrugged, showing her too long sleeves once more, "A sort of."

"When are you leaving?" He asked.

"Tomorrow!"

"Takato, they seem nice people," Juri argued. "I also like them!" She took a sock similar to a dog and started barking, modifying her delicate voice.

"I_just_can't! Ahhhh!" Makoto winced blatantly and pointed his finger on that self-made puppet he hated with all his heart. Actually, he would have liked to bite his mother's arm whenever that puppet showed up.

"But you really loved it, when you were a child, Makoto!" She told him that time in which he was ill and his head was lying on her whomb.

"I hate it!" He angrily shouted.

"But you even used to sleep with it and hug it when you was smaller."

He abruptly stood up, even though he felt weak, and went to his bedroom.

He detested recalling that unpleasant discovery, and started detesting himself so much, after noticing everyone was looking at him, stunned.

"Mako-Chan..." Itsuki sighed, and realised Makoto wasn't the perfect companion for a trip through time.

"What has happened, Makoto-San?" Juri crooned, putting her sock dog extremely near to his eyes. She laughed heartily, since he wasn't so pleased. "They are funny too," She stated.

"Yeah, I wish they could meet the others," Takato joined her in the good time, and stopped talking, thinking about his last words. "Wait, why not? Today we are meeting with them!"

Juri raised her brown eyes and frowned, "But Lee is at the cram school today, right?"

Itsuki increased her attention, after having heard her surname. Daddy was too busy even when he was eleven, she sighed a bit disappointed, as she wanted to meet her younger parents with all her will.

"That's right, but I want him to be with us. I need to convince him!" A determined expression appeared on his face and ran to the desk on which there was a telephone.

Makoto observed that device, horrified, and became annoyed because of the noise Takato made, as he pushed those buttons.

"That telephone could be exposed in a lame museum," He muttered, trying not to be heard this time, even if every sound could be caught by his friend's ears. "And stop listening to their conversation, Itsuki!"

She sticked her tongue out.

"Why can't you at least pretend you're interested in your parents' past?" She whispered, getting away from Juri.

"Pretending doesn't fit me. I'm sincere, you know."

"Yeah, like Mimi. Sure, Mako-Chan, sure."

He didn't respond, since both could perfectly lie, whenever they had to get out of a trouble. For instance, Itsuki had to lie in order to keep Makoto from staying at school in detention for hours.

"He is going to come later, but he's coming at least!" Takato grinned. "I really couldn't have accepted if my best friend hadn't got to meet my foreigner buddies!"

Itsuki could feel her heart beating faster: that was true, right? She was going to meet her younger parents! That was obviously odd, because she was used to seeing old photos about their childhood. She had never imagined something so amazing could happen in the real life.

Takato returned behind the counter, checking if his parents were already dealing with some customers.

"I bet you'll like them," He began. "Especially Ruki and Jen, even though sometimes they behave very differently from us."

Juri nodded with energy and used her dog sock again, making it bark.

"Ruki can be scary, but she's the best girl you could ever meet."

Now Itsuki's curiosity had reached its peak. She couldn't hold her breath anymore.

"I'm looking forward to meeting her, Juri-Chan! I'm sure we are going to enjoy ourselves!"

Makoto, who was looking at the obsolete cash register, appaled, brought Itsuki next to him by grabbing her shoulder.

"I want to come back home! Don't waste time with those...Children..."

"Moumantai, Mako-Chan! Clockmon will show up."

He stared directly at her violet eyes: their faces were a millimeter from each other's and his hands were firmly on her shoulders.

"Maybe you haven't understood what time it is!"

"It's half past five. What about it?"

"My favourite show is starting and I'm here! This was going to be an important episode, the one in which they were going to kick that criminal's ass once and for all!"

"I don't know what y're talking about, Mako-Chan, but I don't mind the hour. I've discovered I had a dream I had never though about," And she got rid of his grip.

"It-Chan...My show...Is starting..." He lowered his head and gave up.

"Takato-Kun, why do you want to introduce them to the others so much?" Juri asked, perplexed.

"Simply because friends share everything, especially funny foreigner buddies!"

xxx

Itsuki found rather cute the fact their parents used to hold their meeting right behind the Guilmon's house.

"We are lucky: they are having their fun in the park. I want to stay with Spadamon, instead of being here with these fools," He admitted, tired of seeing his parents chatting and blushing: it wasn't that their adult selves were so far from them.

Like if Itsuki was reading his mind, she cooed, and touched her cheek with a striped sleeve.

"They are meant for each other, like Yang and me."

He could break his own rules by pretending he hadn't heard her words, he thought, as a strange feeling engulfed his heart and soul. Then, something detracted him from that bittersweet consideration his childish mind couldn't understand properly.

"Those two crazy people surely aren't meant for each other. That much is certain."

"Eh?" Itsuki pointed her violet eyes on two children: there was a girl who was trying to kick a boy, who skilfully avoided her attacks. Itsuki couldn't help but stare at his messy hair. At least, there's someone who doesn't comb his hair at mornings, just like Makoto, she mentally laughed.

"Please, stop it. I didn't intend to hurt you!" The boy begged, even though he managed to shelter his stomach thanks to his nimble movements.

"But you did!" She yelled at him, with ferocity. "You did dare to talk about my Renamon!"

"You were the one who have started talking about them. I thought you were open to start a conversation..."

"What's happening here?" Itsuki questioned, referring to the little brawl.

Takato and Juri let out a sigh from their mouth.

"It's the normality here," Juri answered to her. "It isn't rare seeing them fighting."

Takato slowly approached the couple, and waved to the boy, cracking a smile.

"Jen! You have come earlier!"

The cobalt-haired girl opened her mouth in disbelief, at the sound of that name and skated as quickly as she could to reach Takato. Instead, Makoto remained next to Juri, with lots of feelings overlapping in his mind.

"Ah, I just happened to meet Ruki while I was going to the cram school, and I discovered Shaochung was along with Hirokazu and Kenta," He scratched his blue strands and turned his head, with a weak smile on his tanned face.

Two scared boys were sat on the soaked grass, their hands grabbing a little girl's shoulders.

"Of course, we are the perfect card trainers for Shao-Chan," The tallest one stood up and proudly touched his peaked hat, caressing the child's violet pigtails. "She calls me Hirokazu-Sensei. What a good sister you have got."

Makoto blinked, after having understood who the girl was: it was so strange realising she was Itsuki's eccentric aunt, the woman who hugged everyone whenever she came to Hypnos. He hated it when she hugged him, with those squeals of hers, which broke his eardrums. Itsuki thought she was cute.

Makoto decided to follow Juri, who had also joined the group, glancing to see the grumpy auburn-haired girl, who had sat on a grass, separated from everyone, pretty far from everyone.

"I can't stand punk girls", Makoto thought, crossing his arms. Was she Ruki? Undoubtedly. Itsuki often said there weren't so many people who had purple eyes in the world. Therefore, sometimes Makoto found himself convinced about the fact that, if Itsuki or him moved to another place and met each other when they have become two unrecognisable adults, he would identify her thanks to those marvelous orbs.

Speaking about Itsuki, if she had been enchanted by Juri's polite attitude, she was totally in awe in fromt of her father's younger self. Her sight was stuck on his grey eyes, those grey eyes that contained a shade of wisdom, even though he was twelve or thirteen yet; those lovely grey eyes through which she could understand how he was really feeling, even though he would try to hide his mood behind his glasses.

She felt her heart skip a beat when, after that he had fixed his raincoat, he noticed Makoto and her were there.

"Who are they, Takato?"

"Yeah, who are they?" Hirokazu and Kenta posed the same question, with a silly tone.

Takato pulled Makoto from his blue cardigan, so the others could be introduced to him properly.

He opened his arms, "Say hello to Makoto and Itsuki-Chan. They come from Kyoto!"

"Itsuki?" Hirokazu studied her features carefully. "Isn't that a name for boys?"

A resigned expression dominated Jenrya's face.

"That was rude, Hirokazu..."

Nevertheless, he was glad to get to know that girl hadn't taken his unnecessary remark too seriously. Actually, she approached him with her roller-shoes and merely shrugged. Hirokazu thought he was imagining she was wearing rollers. What kind of girl was she?

"Honestly, I love my name, since it's written with the Moon Kanji! Makoto likes it too, don't you, Mako-Chan?"

"Sure, sure," He apthatetically replied. He was too focussed on devouring the younger version of the man who had ruined his mission and his moment of glory: he couldn't waste his time wondering if he liked her name or not.

"It's an interesting name," Jenrya told her. She noticed he never let his pupils look at her eyes. Therefore, she couldn't keep herself from comparing her father to Yang.

"Thanks! Yours is amazing too!"

Suddenly, he blushed and Hirokazu got an annoyed expression.

"Skater girl has already gushed over Jen. That's a shame. Let's play cards again, before a meteor hits Shinjuku. How can a girl think his name is a good one! I can't even pronounce it!" Then he put a hand near to his mouth, switching to the second new arrival, Makoto. "He's stealing your gal. You'd better go back to Kyoto quickly, man."

The Chinese boy blushed even more.

Takato gasped and frantically moved his hands in order to calm Makoto down, but, fortunately, his foreigner buddy didn't react to his sentence. He knew Hirokazu well: he was the most playful member of their group: Atsuko was so different from him.

Makoto and Itsuki didn't complain, when Takato proposed to play cards together. Unfortunately for Itsuki, who had retained that feeling in her heart, her mother refused to join them.

However, there was a problem: the cards they played with were real, material, how Makoto defined them. He was feeling sick after having come in contact with that reality, in which technology was extremely lagging. Touching those cards with his hands was an alien feeling.

"Can't you play Digimon Cards? Woof!" Juri asked, happily. "I can teach you how to play it, woof!" That puppet was making Makoto mad: he was about to rip it.

"Have you ever played Digimon Cards in Kyoto?" Takato continued, and the boy immediately considered his father a close-minded.

"You know, Kyoto is a city of this planet like Tokyo," He shook his head, becoming annoyed because of his father's idiocy, that's how he called Takato's behaviour.

Meanwhile, Itsuki was a bit sad, since her parents weren't together like she wanted them to be. She looked at Ruki, settling her cards all alone, and Jenrya, outlining a strategy; he seemed lost in thought.

"Itsuki-Chan, your hair is so pretty! I want a ribbon like yours!" Squealed little Shaochung, who had stopped playing because she was drawn by her brother's new friend.

"Thank you. Yours is pretty too! You would look even prettier with two ribbons on your pigtails!"

Itsuki let herself take a peek at her mother again: that didn't feel right. That wasn't right, she shouted in her mind.

"You are curious about Ruki, aren't you?" Jenrya questioned, without looking up: she didn't know he was able to play so wonderfully.

"Y'should apologize to her, so she can come here too. I bet she's feeling so lonely," She whispered, trying not to be heard by anyone.

"I will, but not now. She has to," He picked another cards from his deck. "Dilute her anger."

"I don't think so," She crossed her arms. Her father was the only one who could cheer her up in 2029; he was the one who could make her smile brightly. Of course, her mother was able to do that too. That's what she loved about her family, about her parents' relationship.

"Trust me, Itsuki-San, I've known her for years. Trying to talk to her so soon can mean death."

She huffed heavily: she wanted to play with her parents, and that's what she would do.

"Firstly, erase that stupid San!" She raised her clear voice.

Jenrya turned, a bit surprised by her actions.

"What?"

"Erase the S_a_n. I hate that. Use the Chan."

He scratched his hair once more and Itsuki noticed his hair colour had darkened through the years: her father's hair colour was similar to black, while the child who was next to her had cobalt hair, just like hers.

"Sorry, I'm not used to calling people adding the Chan at all..." He admitted, showing he was as shy as Yang.

"Pretty please?" She insisted.

"Ehm..."

"Game over, Jen! I'm the best here! That's what happens, when your head is somewhere else because of a girl," Hirokazu announced.

Itsuki smirked, as her goal was accomplished: distraying him, so she could proceed with her plan.

Before Jenrya could object, she made him stand up with her long striped sleeve. Makoto, Takato and Juri were speachless.

"Itsuki?!"

"Ohi, that's good, Jen-Chan! You have thrown the San away. That's what a good boy does!"

He blushed for the nth time and the blood sent up to his ears too.

She arrested her dash right in front of Ruki.

"Good afternoon, Ruki, right?"

Ruki pointed her amethyst eyes on that weird girl who was a stranger to her: baggy striped cardigan, a tiny blue ponytail on her head, rollers and a perpetual grin on her slightly tanned face. What kind of girl was she? Anyway, howsoever she was made, she didn't care, since that jerk of Jenrya Lee was along with her.

"I had never thought you were so coward, Lee. Bringing a girl with you, so you won't be beaten."

The boy evidently winced: the fact that she had used his surname made him understood she was furious at him. However, if he had to be honest, he was the most furious one between them, but there was a difference: he was mad at himself. He couldn't hide behind justifications: he should have refused to talk about Digimon with Ruki, about her Renamon. It was blatant she had been suffering since their departure. She had been suffering for years, but time didn't matter when it came about feelings: that's what his Sensei often told him.

He was ashamed that he couldn't find proper words to handle that problem: it was all his fault.

'It's all my fault!' He screamed in his mind. 'I'm ending up being an insensitive!'

Suddenly, something warm and soft touched his shoulder.

"Mou- Don't worry, Jen-Chan!"

That determined voice pushed him to raise his head, which he had lowered uncounsciously, and all at once that girl reminded him of that moment in which he lost his calm in Digiworld.

"Sorry, Ruki," He only said, but she kept on fiddling with her cards. "I didn't-"

"Intend to hurt you. You're a broken record. Just go away," She coldly ordered.

Itsuki pressed her lips, trying to figure out a way to make them stop fighting. It was too sad to her. Too heartbreaking.

"I'm really sorry, Ruki!" He insisted, cursing himself because he still couldn't pick the right words from his brain, and couldn't tidy his thoughts. That was Ruki's power on his abilities, even though he could speak to her without too many difficulties before the tragic event concering their Digimon.

"I won't forgive you."

He abandoned his arms, making them fall next to his hips.

"I see..."

If he had been ten, if they had been ten, he would have cheered her up without being afraid of hurting her again. What had he become? What had they become? Had their Digimon's departure changed them so much, making them so weak?

He could perceive she had returned to her original state, to the days before they had met, and that was the worst aspect to him. He couldn't give her hope, as he knew their Digimon wouldn't come back to Earth so soon.

Itsuki, who had strangely managed to stay in silence during the whole discussion, clenched her fists. She had to act.

"Excuse me, why won't ya forgive him? He has stopped playing for you, in order to come here!"

An unpleasant slapping sound could be heard. Ruki glared at the girl, threating her, relying on the strength of her unique orbs. She stood up for the first time, after having left a card on the grass.

"What have you said?" She hissed, believing the girl would fall on her knees, but strangely she didn't even backtrack: the Tamer wasn't aware that the girl was accostumed to facing up to her impetus.

She saw the stranger approaching her and look her in the eye, piveed.

"Please, forgive him!" She implored, touching her heart with a hand in a very melodramatic way: she really trusted her orator skills.

"Itsuki..." A voice reached her ears. "It's not necessary for you to commit to this matter. She has got every right to refuse. It's all my fault, after all," Jenrya finally gave a voice to his most hidden thoughts and beliefs. "Sometimes it happens that you hurt the people you care for the most, in order to make them feeling better. That's what I've done and that's why I don't deserve to be forgiven."

The tension got burdened by the long, dense, intolerable silence that followed, a silence that became even more excruciating in the boy's mind.

"I wonder if Renamon is thinking about me. I wonder if it has forgot I exist."

"How could our Digimon forget about us? As long as we remember our friendship, they will never betray our memories."

"You're too optimistic. I hate it."

"Don't worry, Ruki. I'm sure you'll meet Renamon soon. Terriermon, Guilmon...Everyone will come here again."

"They won't."

"Why won't they? We have just to wait a bit."

"Renamon is so distant that I can't feel our connection anymore."

"Ruki, your connection will never break off. It links you two, even though you're so far from each other. I can feel the same about Terriermon and me. So, Moumantai.

"What do you know about how I feel?! How could you understand?! You can't. You can't understand how my heart is aching! You can't!"

"Ruki..."

"See? You're lying. You're also lying to yourself. Stop being optimistic, because you know it isn't true. They won't come back. They will forget us. Stop being such a faker, because it's enough rubbing your face in the truth, to shut you up forever."

"Ruki, answer me, do you think Renamon would be happy to see you in this way?"

"Why should I care? She isn't here anymore!"

"It wouldn't be happy at all. Therefore, let me help-"

The kick itself didn't hurt him so much, also because it was the only one he received in his stomach. What did hurt him the most was the expression that appeared on her face, after his disastrous question had been elaborated by her mind: her eyes slowly turned off, making that amethyst colour lose its usual confidence, and suddenly she looked like if she was somewhere else with her mind, maybe, Jenrya thought, in a place in which she had been finally able to hug Renamon.

Everyone was dealing with their friends' departure, recoursing to different overtures. While he had been unwillingly led to the tactic of avoiding the pain, she had been crossing the crude path of isolation, pretending she didn't care about her partner's distance. However, Jenrya could read through her thoughts, he could perceive how she was sad, and he would feel relieved whenever she unexpectedly began talking about Renamon. Ruki was the same when it came about him: she was aware that he was acting like if everything was fine, and would silently compliment herself, whenever he fell in her tricks and showed he was suffering just like her.

"Sorry," Eventually he spoke; both Itsuki and Ruki widended their identical orbs, surprised by his further attempt. "I have realised I'll have to learn how to treat people's feelings again."

"What are you talking about?" She angrily asked.

Despite her mood, it was baltant he had made Ruki speachless. Itsuki cracked a smile: her mother was going to give up, she was certain the fight was near to the end. However, she wanted to accelerate the course of the discussion, as she didn't want to lose the chance to play with them.

"Well, Ruki-Chan, Jen-Chan, it's time to make up!"

Jenrya and Ruki winced but, before they started complaining, Itsuki grabbed their hands and pushed them to come closer.

"Itsuki?!" The boy was a bit frightened, not because she was holding his arm , but because she was holding Ruki's arm.

"You psycho tourist: are you insane? Let me go!"

She grinned, good-naturedly.

"I'm not doing anything until you forgive Jen-Chan! Moreover," She hid her laughing mouth with her long striped sleeve. "He has told you he cares for you. What is keeping you from accepting his apologizes? We are clearly in front of a conf-"

Now it was Jenrya's turn to grab the girl's sleeve and push her in his arms. He did intend, he did want to protect that bubbly girl from the pending kick: it was like if she was a little sister to him.

"Guess, I've made you mad again, Ruki-Chan," She laughed once more and dared to stick her tongue.

"You are stepping too far!" She shouted, her cheeks red like a pepper.

"Itsuki..." Jenrya could only sigh, but inwardly admitted they needed a bit of joy. Nevertheless, he wondered if the others had assisted to the whole scene.

Itsuki turned to her father, raising her head to face those grey eyes she loved.

"Y' can only say my name, can't you?"

He blushed a bit, since she was right.

"Then, thank you. I haven't been myself at all lately."

She got away from that sort of reassuring hug.

"Moumantai, you'll grow out of this period," Then, she realised she had made a serious mistake and gulped.

Obviously, Jenrya's expression was puzzled.

"Are you Chinese?"

"Hmmm, not exactly, but," She brought her ams behind the back and timidly giggled. "Does it really matter? C'mon, Ruki-Chan, I want t play with ya! Show me what a true queen is like! Hehe, who in this world doesn't know you are the Digimon Queen? Let's play!"

Unfortunately, or fortunately (it depends on the various views of the situation), Makoto reached them and beckoned to Itsuki, but she didn't understand what he wanted to tell her about.

He decided to whisper in her ear, "The Digivice has rung. Where the hell is your head?!"

"Oh!"

She didn't care about the fact the other Tamers had followed Makoto: she touched the pocket of her baggy cardigan and froze, when her Digivice wasn't there. She was a bit afraid of revealing the truth to Makoto.

"The real question is: where the hell is my," She lowered her voice. "Digivice."

Makoto dangerously groaned, "Itsuki, what have you done?!"

She tried to calm him down and crouched, kneeled, in order to look for it on the grass.

"Where is it?! Where is it?!"

"I'm going without you!" Makoto shouted, after having said goodbye to Takato and Juri.

"It was a pleasure to meet you two!" Takato and Juri told him and he nodded. "Dorks," He muttered, when they couldn't hear his words anymore.

A tanned hand showed up before her eyes.

"Were you looking for this?"

"Yes..."

Jenrya gave her the purple Digivice and she stood up. Itsuki stuttered., which was rare.

"Did you know?!"

"Not really, but you seemed very worried about losing this."

"Thank you, Jen-Chan!" She began running hastily, but arrested her dash.

"Please, don't tell anyone."

"I promise. Moumantai. Will we be able to meet you again?"

"Who knows, but I feel like we'll definitely meet again."

She gave him one of her brightest smile and waved to everyone. It had come the moment to pick Lunamon and return to her parents, at her time.

"Takato, next time think twice before introducing us to some weirdos, honestly!" Ruki huffed, but she couldn't stop thinking about the cobalt-haired girl.

xxx

"That bastard!" Makoto snarled, as the Clockmon was walking in the same park in which the Digitear had thrown them.

"Makoto! Let's kill it! I want to absorb its data now!" Spadamon was trembling, as it wanted to stick its sword into Clockmon's gut.

"No mercy for that mutt!" The boy incited his partner in the best way he could, while the group was waiting for the Clockmon to get closer to the tree behind which they were observing its moves.

Itsuki saw Makoto already preaparing his Digivice, and stopped him.

"Wait, Mako-Chan. Don't be so impulsive!" She suggested.

"Don't tell me what I have to do! Don't forget it's your fault if we have met our younger parents, and I've discovered mine were two huge jerks."

She kept him from acting again.

"Maybe, you are the one who don't have to forget about a specific fact: this is our last chance to come back home. If we fail, we will be forced to become two Time Jumpers along with Clockmon."

"Not so bad, if you think twice about it: we would be famous."

She glared at him and he pouted, "Then, let's listen, what do you propose to do, little unappreciated genius?"

Itsuki pointed to the spot where Clockmon was.

"It's no coincidence that it's here. Look at that tree."

Makoto narrowed his red orbs and raised an eyebrow, "It's just a stupid tree, which is older than my grandparents."

He heard the slap Itsuki gave her forehead.

"Is it ever possible receiving a good answer from ya, Mako-Chan?!"

She decided to do something she didn't like to do: she let him wear her technological red goggles. He flushed, when he felt pressure on his head.

"What are you doing?!"

He violently barked, reaching out to grab her arms, but got surprised when, suddenly, he ended up in a world full of neon-lit grids. His surroundings had darkened and an icon, which continuously rotated, appeared on the screen. After two seconds, the screen of the goggles focussed on the tree and he noticed there was something small, which was glowing; the only coloured thing in that strange world, Makoto thought, while an increasing alien sensation took over his body.

"It's a mini Digi-Tear," He heard Itsuki's voice, which was the only element that connected him to the reality. "A baby Digi-Tear," She giggled.

He took his googles off and his head began spinning. His legs felt weak and he had to hold on to the rootstock of the tree.

"How do you manage not to vomit...?!"

She shrugged, "It could be that only me and Goggle Vision are meant to be together."

He quickly shook his head, "Then, what should we do now?"

Itsuki smiled confidently at him, her violet eyes sparkling with malice.

"Lunamon has underlined Clockmon wants to go home too. Therefore, like I said before, we just have to wait."

"Are you aware Clockmon is from Digiworld, and wants to come back there, aren't you?!" That plan sounded fishy to him.

She grinned with mischief again, irritating him a bit, "Y' do forget too many things, Mako-Chan," She touched her googles and proudly stared at him, making him envious, since she looked cooler than him, just like a real Digimon Tamer. "We can be Tear-Drivers thanks to my Goggle-Vision. We'll have to enter the Digitear, I'll switch Goggle Vision on and we'll be at the station in a blink of eye."

"Whatever...Those things are a devilry."

Still with his sight stuck on the Digimon, he frowned: he couldn't stand she was so clever.

"If what you are saying is true, why haven't you used Goggle-Vision, when we have fallen into the Digi-Tear this afternoon?!"

She shrugged, "Because we fell unexpectedly. That's why. Now we are going to fall on purpose, so we are going to be conscious and we both are going to wear our goggles to protect our eyes."

She put her hands on her hips and winked to him. Spadamon and Lunamon clapped their tiny paws, thanking the Digimon Sovereigns for having made them meet with such a witty girl.

She kneeled, even if it wasn't necessary and patted Makoto's shoulder when the baby Digi-Tear grew its dimensions.

"How will we be able to resist to Chrono breaker, though?" Makoto challenged her plan for nth time.

"We need Chrono Breaker, She stated. "We are going to take advantage of it."

Clockmon was approaching the other tree in order to go into the Digi-Tear.

"Are you certain we are going to be fine? It was your father who said that Digimon was a menace, because it was infected."

His arm was hit by Spadamon's sword. The digimon had its short arms crossed.

"It makes me ashamed, but you are the girl here."

He was about to punch his Digimon on the head, but Itsuki made him stand up along with her. Both picked up their partners.

"A few seconds and we run as fast as we can.

He nodded, tentative. His red orbs strangely uncertain.

"Five seconds, four seconds."

Clockmon lurked in front of the opening hole.

"Three seconds, two seconds."

The children put their googles on.

"One second, zero!"

Makoto and Itsuki grabbed each other's hand and threw each other into the glowing vortex, avoiding to touch Clockmon by bending their backs and jumping with energy.

"Ahhhh!" They screamed, as the bright light engulfed them and the Digimon screamed.

"Chrono Breaker!"

Their surroundings began spinning and squirming.

While they were falling extremely rapidly, Itsuki put her goggles on, ordering Lunamon to cling to her baggy cardigan.

"Let me see: we are heading for the fourth sector: Digi-World. Our sector is the second one, our time."

She sounded oddly calm, too calm, in Makoto's opinion.

"I hope you're joking and messing with me!"

"No, I'm not. Now, we need your strength, Mako-Chan."

He kept on holding her, but blinked.

"You'll have to push us towards the second sector."

"We are falling! F-a-l-l-i-n-g! That's physically impossible!"

Spadamon, which was holding onto his blue cardigan too, spoke, "Would you buy me another sword, if something happened to it?"

"It depends! What kind of question is this, you idiot?!" He held Itsuki tighter.

"We are approaching the ramification, Mako-Chan!"

Five holes, less bright than the one they were falling through, appeared.

Makoto felt like if Spadamon's weight was lighter.

"Then," He heard. "Prepare yourself to use your pocket money!"

Spadamon shouted with all the air he could inhale and threw the sword towards Clockmon, which wad falling behind them.

Makoto and Itsuki didn't understand what it was happening to them: they just knew a sphere of power hit them and they ended up in a quiet white tunnel.

"Spadamon!" Makoto was almost speachless as well as Itsuki, who put off her goggles. "You have saved our life, buddy."

"I've provoked it."

He hugged his partner into a surge of affection, which pushed Itsuki to hug Lunamon too.

"We are safe, It-Chan!"

She laughed and quietly floated through the steady phase of their Digi-Tear journey.

"Y'know, Mako-Chan, I've enjoyed myself with our younger parents!"

"I haven't. I repeat: they were two dorks. Yours too. Moreover, 2002 is lame.

She giggled, "Two adorable dorks." Then she brought a sleeve on her mouth, "Still, I wonder if I should have stayed quiet and shouldn't have helped them..."

He yawned, "Who cares!"

"Yea, who cares! I only wish I had managed to play cards with Mommy."

"Believe me," He remembered about his Digimon card challenge with Takato and Juri. "It's not so worth. I have never felt so happy to see Mum and Dad, the adult ones."

A gash of light encircled them and they knew they were finally at home.

xxx

Jenrya Lee nervously tapped a foot over and over. His fingers, which were on his phone, occasionally twitched. Actually, he was trying to keep the calm and not to think about the fact his daughter and his best friend's son had been pulled inside a Digi-Tear (a hazardous Digi-Tear, in addition). Nevertheless, his concern could be noticed by his abrupt gestures.

He hanged up, despondent because of the inconclusive news coming from Hypnos.

He wished he had been there and had checked the situation himself, but he had to stay with that other kid, stay by his side, since he was terrorized because of what had happened and, not so nice to admit, by the man's initial reaction. However, he knew he was losing time there: what was he waiting for? Was he really hoping his child would magically come back? Two hours had passed. It was impossible, he knew that, being accostumed to the capricious Digi-Tears. He wanted to let himself fall to the cold floor of the station, but he couldn't, as he didn't have to lose his composure. However, how could he put aside his father role? How could he manage to remain so insensensitive, being aware that his daughter was who knows where? Protocol, their ass. Self control, their ass. Need for more Tear Jumpers, their ass. He had lost the composure in this brain. That's what Hypnos's superiors' policy had led to. That's what had happened after having let those children even try to

come to that railway. There were too many matters he had accepted, without speaking out. He should have kept them from taking on this mission; he should have made his superiors understand children couldn't and shouldn't be involved in that kind of questions, even if they wanted to: they were only children!

"Kid, don't feel guilty. The only culprit is me."

Yang raised his head, but didn't find the proper words to use. He could just stare at the horizon and hear Jenrya Lee's foot patting the ground. The child didn't want to leave that place.

What should Jenrya tell Takato and Juri about that? How should he tell them about their son's disappearance? It was the second time it happened, damn it. What about the press? What if the press discovered the dramatic event? Yamaki wouldn't trust him anymore, of course. Then his wandering thoughts fell on his wife and realised she could kick him out of home. What a tragic picture that was.

He looked at his watch: two hours, two long hours, and his dependents hadn't managed to figure out anything, solve anything. Should he ask the Wild Bunch for help? Who cared if they were too old.

He couldn't organize that tidy mind of his and that was irritating.

"Wen Yang, if we stay here, nothing will change," He told the child, but he didn't move. What a strange kid he was, he thought.

"Yang, listen to me. I understand how you are feeling...I can...But..." He found himself unable to continue talking, and lowered his head, defeated in his soul. "Come on..."

"Lee-San, my Digivice is flashing."

The man looked at the child, puzzled, and took his Digivice.

"You're right, something is definitely off," He started touching some buttons: it wasn't flickering because of Coronamon's presence, obviously; Terriermon was at Hypnos, so that wasn't the case. What was happening, then?

The man found the will to walk and stared intensively at the spot in which the Digi-Tear had appeared. A hour ago was full of scientists who were checking the area.

Was he imagining everything? Was he seeing things? He rubbed his tired eyes: the light was becoming brigter and brighter.

"Ehm, what's happening there, Lee-San?"

The man gave the child his red Digivice back, and slowly moved his head.

"It's impossible."

The light became so blinding that they had to put their arms in front of their eyes. Then, two little sparkles could be glimpsed in the distance: one was purple, the other was light blue. Once more, a light engulfed them, a light Jenya couldn't even stand, despite his sunglasses. The child and the man almost lost their balance.

"Daddy, we are here!" Suddenly both could hear and a girl, who was looking up from the tracks and was waving her extremely long striped sleeve, showed up. Next to her there was a boy, who looked stunned and confused.

"Thank, Gods. Thank you, Gods!" Jenrya Lee shouted and helped the children get on the waiting zone of the station. Immediately after they had climbed up there, he didn't hesitate to hug them, because he had been very scared. Makoto frantically got rid of that annoying hug, which was making his hair a mess, and approached Yang.

"I haven't missed you at all, Shinigami. Don't even dare to think about the possibility."

Yang remained in silence, realising he could have missed his various nicknames.

"It! I'm so glad! I'm so glad you two are here!" Jenrya Lee couldn't bring himself to part from his only daughter. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head with decision.

"I'm totally fine! Moumantai!"

He attempted to crack a smile, but ended up hugging her again.

"Yeah...Moumantai."

Itsuki felt his breathing on her neck warmer and more humid than usual.

"Were you crying, Daddy?" She asked and he interrupted the second hug, in order to look into her eyes.

"Where does this come from?"

"Y're avoiding the question, Daddy."

A bittersweet laugh reached her ears, "Would it be so bad? I've risked to lose my daughter and my wife, crying is the minimum I can do."

"What about me? You were risking to lose me too, Uncle Jen!"

He stood up and discomposed his rebel strands, "You should listen to me more, Makoto. You know what I'm talking about."

The child sticked his tongue and he sighed, a mix of exasperation and amusement.

"Let's come back home, and let's forget about this day, kids!"

Itsuki tugged on his black jacket.

"How could it be possible it's still afternoon here? We have been in 2002 until evening!"

He raised a dark hairbrown.

"2002? You have been lost for two hours, It."

Itsuki and Makoto looked at him, confused: maybe Clockmon had influenced the time in that way too. Yang couldn't understand what they were talking about as well as Jenyra.

"You're tired, kids. You need to rest a bit. Everyone will be happy to see you are fine!"

Actually, everyone was relieved they had come back safe and sound.

Makoto smirked and tugged on Jenrya's jacket just like Itsuki did before. He pointed his finger at his face.

"Uncle Jen, if you don't let us Digivolve or you rain on our parade next time, I'll tell my parents and your evil wife about what has happened today. I promise you I will."

The man sinked in his comfortable swiveling chair. He had come to the point in which he was threatened by a eleven-year-old boy. Everything was normal. Everything was usual, even that he feel asleep on the swiveling chair.

Everything was ordinary in 2033. Risking to lose your daughter in a digital hole was ordinary. Things like those didn't even exist when he was a child. Oh well, that's the power of the time, he thought when his consciousness plunged into a sweet slumber


	9. Chapter 9

[ •9 In which the introductory part may sound slightly dark, but everything slowly turns into a lighthearted tale of coincidences. Moreover, Atsuko shows not be so shy, friendship finally wins and, like always, Makoto can't live without someone to get angry at. Who will the martyrs be this time? I wonder.]

"This is Dodomon. It's a newcomer."

Makoto frowned when Sakuya Yamaki introduced him to that purple ball of fur. He approached the Digimon, hesitant, feeling like if it wanted to attack or bite him. Oh no, I'm behaving like Yang, stop that Makoto!, the guy thought, mentally punching himself on his head. Pushed by that previous realisation, Makoto Matsuda took heart and tried to pet the Digimon.

"C'mon Dodomon. C'mon, Dodo. Let me pet you."

His hand finally touched the purple fur and a grin appeared on the guy's rose-tinted face: he was already preparing himself to boast about his success in front of Yang. However, suddenly, he felt a strange feeling on his hand, followed by a sort of pain. He jumped away from Dodomon.

"Are you crazy?! You will pay! You will pay, stupid hairball, which has just been spat by a flea-ridden cat!" He shouted, while the poor little Digimon looked at him innocently, not being able to understand what it had done was wrong.

At once Sakuya delicately grabbed Makoto's shoulder, beckoning him to be silent. The young woman held the Digimon in her arms, petting it with affection and love.

"Makoto," She started. "Please, don't shout. There are Digimon that are still sleeping."

"But it has bit me!" He pointed to the purple ball of fur, screaming again.

Sakuya Yamaki sighed, passing a hand through her long light brown hair. Her strokes were identical to her mother's : gorgeous, bright, perfectly cured; even if at the moment she was wearing a ponytail, everyone could notice how wondrous her hair was.

"Makoto, they are babies. They don't know how to behave correctly."

He blinked for a second, trying to change his opinion about the little digital creature. He looked at how harmless it seemed in Sakuya's slender arms, batting its round eyes and closing them; Makoto thought it was about to fall asleep, engulfed by that huge amount of love. Nevertheless, Makoto was convinced appearances didn't matter at all. Therefore, when he discerned an imperceptible movement on its mouth, he began believing it was making fun of him.

"Stupid brat!" He shouted, groaning conspicuously, and Sakuya glared at him, since the Digimon had started crying.

"Makoto! Look at what you have done! It was so calm a minute before!"

He turned his back to the woman, huffing heavily. He wasn't supposed to be there, in that colourful and muffled hell, where he felt like if his world was so far away. He was a Tear Jumper; he wasn't a futile babysitter.

He was disgusted by the tenderness Sakuya was cradling that imp with.

"I'm vomiting right now," He commented, without caring about the fact he was sounding rude. "I hate everything that's here."

She brought herself to crack a smile, still intent on calming the little ball of fur.

"You should just relax, Makoto. This place is meant to relax people."

"How can you relax in this mess? Indeed, in this hell! Hypnos is a serious institution. At least, it used to be like that!"

"I assure you Lee-San really loves this place."

That name wasn't so dear to the boy's heart. Actually, he immediately flew off the handle.

"That boss of yours is just a jerk. I know the reason why he has sent us here. I know it and you are a dirty co-conspirator!"

Dirty co-conspirator? The woman was struggling to follow the boy.

"What are you talking about, Makoto?" That Tear Jumper surely was a tough child, like everyone in Hypnos had always told her. Was he really Takato Matsuda's son? That kind and admirable man's son?

She kept on rocking the Digimon, her eyes glued to that irritated walking figure.

"And to think you were my favourite one among these brainless people! What a pity that you have showed yourself as a traitor. These are your true colours!"

She stared at him, puzzled and at the same time annoyed. Everyone could relax in that area except Makoto.

"Why can't you be as quiet as the other children?"

He arrested his list of complaints for a second, struck by that comment.

"Those dorks can't just understand we have been tricked by a bunch of imbecile adults! Where the hell are they?"

After having put Dodomon on a soft tap, the young woman frowned and clenched her fists, attempting to control the anger that was slowly being created in her soul. That boy was the most galling one she had ever met. Who did he think he was, wandering in that room like a troublesome fly? She let herself sigh and gave a pat on his head, hoping to mitigate her will to slap him.

"Makoto, would you like to come with me?" She made efforts to smile kindly.

"Where will you take me?" The boy's reddish eyes looked like if they had grown dreamy for a moment.

"Follow me and you'll find out."

Sakuya, still trying to stay calm, abruptly grabbed his arm and led him among lots of toys and painted walls. Makoto could see some baby Digimon hopping and laughing, and he focussed on avoiding running into some train or ball and fall.

After a minute, the joyful atmosphere transformed into a more monotone one: a line of desks and computers, behind which there was a group of scientists, appeared before his fiery orbs. He could hear the sound of them clicking insistently on the keyboards. Makoto couldn't help but think that zone looked like a sad insane asylum.

"What are they doing?" He brought himself to ask the young woman, who didn't intend to let him go.

"They are checking if there are disturbances in Digi-Tears."

The boy began growling, "I told you there's an ongoing mission! That asshole of man...!"

He was cut short by a yank, which pushed him to turn and change his direction. He noticed they were entering some kind of tunnel, extremely tacky, in the boy's opinion. How many areas were there in Hypnos? , he wondered.

"Here we are."

Finally, Sakuya let his arm go. They had just reached a room, in which there was a wide glass window. He was starting complaining again, before realising there was a very familiar figure attached to the stained glass; her long sleeves looked like the tentacles of a jellyfish or octopus, greeting the crowd of visitors in its aquarium.

"It-Chan!" He ran to her with a grin on his face, but she was too drawn by what she was seeing. "It-Chan!" He called her again, this time scrolling her shoulders.

The girl averted her eyes and smiled to him.

"Mako-Chan! Yang-Chan and me were wondering where you were!"

Ah, yes, Yang. That idiot, Makoto told himself, and then looked down to nonchalantly wave to the other boy, who was petting another baby Digimon.

"How is it going here?" Sakuya good-naturedly asked, even though she already knew the other two Young Tear Jumpers were calmer and even more polite than Makoto.

Itsuki giggled and approached her with a large smile on her slightly tanned face.

"Sakuya-San, thank you for having taken us here! I'm enjoying myself so much!" Makoto raised his eyebrow, speechless, when she started rambling with that theatrical way of hers.

"We have played hide-and-seek with Chobomon and Datirimon, managed to get Ketomon in the tub and now Yang is feeding Leafmon," She turned her head to where the boy was and amiably chuckled at the sight of the tender scene. "Mako-Chan, won't Yang be a good father in the future?"

He apathetically shrugged, "I don't know what to say, since you think your father is The best daddy of the world," He replied, trying to imitate Itsuki.

However, despite his behavior, the girl kept on talking.

"Isn't he perfect? C'mon, look at him!"

For the young girl's happiness, the only adult in the room nodded in token of agreement.

"It seems he has got a younger sister instead of an older one!"

She chuckled and, after a period that felt like eternity, Yang stood up and approached the trio with Leafmon still in his arms; surely, his baggy cardigan was a warm and welcoming spot to sleep in.

"Yamaki-San, we have done everything you told us to do. Everyone is napping, except...Well, except Leafmon," His ears became red, as he was trying to cradle the green baby Digimon.

"Good job, Yang and Itsuki! You should go to university quickly in order to become two caretakers here!"

Obviously, Makoto didn't like it when someone praised Yang in a very blatant way. Furthermore, he was being commended by Sakuya Yamaki, his favourite Hypnos scientist and operator: she looked and acted like an angel, in his opinion, and he couldn't stand still while the person he hated the most in the world was slowly becoming precious to her. He was supposed to be the best Hypnos agent Sakuya had ever seen in her life, not that Chinese boy! He smirked and put his hands behind his head, which was full of messy hair like always.

"Nah, nah. He should study to become a mummy without doubt. After all, in our living room we have got a photo featuring my mother feeding me with a sippy cup, just like he was doing before. The position is identical too."

He opened his eyes a bit, since he had closed them in order not to be betrayed by his emotions and, needless to say, he was a bit disappointed when he noticed Yang wasn't replying to him; indeed, nobody was speaking. Actually, Sakuya and Itsuki were cooing, observing Leafmon, while it was gradually letting slumber engulf its little body. In other words, they had ignored him and they were still pretending he wasn't there because of a stupid brat, which was falling asleep like every human does every night.

Makoto let a noise come out from his mouth, a noise that expressed the entire disgust he was feeling in his heart and stomach.

"Do you want me to vomit? Have you two become a couple of shallow-minded half- wits-"But his anger and indignation seemed to disappear for a short time.

His red orbs met the tired eyes of the little Digimon, and he felt his heart beating more slowly. He loosened the tension of his arm muscles and broke down his fists, as the leaf on the little creature peacefully went up and down. He understood Leafmon had already arrived in the dream world, yet it kept on suck its pacifier in harmony with the rhythm of its breath...He shook his head as hard as he could and cursed himself in his head.

"Good! If you have been bewitched by that...That...That whatsit, it's not my problem! Spadamon, playtime is over! We are going upstairs, to the head quarters, and talk to Mr. Know-It-All, because I don't want to be used as a lame nursemaid!"

Spadamon reluctantly forced itself to leave the sleeping Digimon.

"But I was chilling myself, Mako!"

The grumpy boy looked at his Digimon with a dismayed expression, realising it had been ensnared too. In fact, I shouldn't be surprised, he thought, he is a gutless just like Yang.

He looked at the trio once more and felt another wave of loathing inside his body. He used to have two companions, two sane companions, he winced at the thought. Apparently, Hypnos turned everyone in spineless creatures, but it won't happen to him, he shouted in his mind; he was there to become an agent, and nobody could make him change his goal.

Makoto clenched his fits and finally brought himself to march to the other extremity of the tunnel. The automatic doors opened and...He froze.

"You!" The boy snarled and pointed to the unwanted newcomer, but portrayed his finger, when the unwelcome guest's hand began messing up his coconut-coloured locks.

"Good afternoon, Mako!" Jenrya Lee cracked a smile and gleefully kept on fiddling with the child's hair.

Makoto hated it, whenever people touched it. Nobody should dare to do that.

"Are you having a good time?" The man asked, trying to strike up a brief conversation with his best friend's son, but the more he went further with his attempt, the more Makoto glared at him with that pair of smoldering eyes. Jenrya though he was going to bite him, and he wouldn't have been shocked, if that had happened. Actually, once that child really bit one of his fingers; it was during one of those failed tai-chi lessons promised to Takato, and Makoto was still three year old: the man could clearly remember the shrill pain he felt at the moment when his teeth penetrated the skin.

Jenrya decided the best thing to do was hurrying up and completing his task. He would leave the honour to chat with the child to Masahiko; he was his uncle, after all.

As soon as Yang, Itsuki and Sakuya noticed he was there, they felt silent, expect, of course, the blue-haired girl, who didn't think twice before diving into her father's hug. A pleased expression appeared on her face, when she heard his tender laugh.

"Ah, Lee-San!" Sakuya greeted him with grace, fixing her too long white lab coat. "What bring you by?" Then, suddenly, she frowned, believing to have detected a signal of concern in the man's deep grey eyes. "Are there any problems again? Maybe it's that Digi-Tear?"

However, the young woman was wrong: she had to admit she wasn't good at all at reading her interlocutors' minds. Actually, her supervisor -Jenrya didn't want her to consider him in that way, though-, surprised her with a jovial grin.

"In truth, we have come here to announce the first phase of the mission has been a success!"

"Really?" She didn't have any more words to express how glad she was. They had been working hard for weeks, in order to seal that treacherous and weird digital hole.

Despite the calm atmosphere they had managed to establish, all of a sudden they heard a "What?!" and the man winced, when he felt like if someone had punched his back.

"Mako-Chan!" Itsuki exclaimed, indignant and astonished at the same time: those were everyone's state of mind in that aseptic room.

"You jerk! The boy shouted, the rage had taken over his heart. "Why the hell didn't you call us?! You jerk!" He kept on giving punches on his best friend's father's back, and Masahiko Katou, who was trying to stop him, would have liked to die in that moment.

Nevertheless, Makoto did know he was dealing with Jenrya Lee, a guru to many forms of martial art: what kind of result could a boy as weak as him demand to obtain against a man like him? Therefore, the rebel child wasn't upset, when he saw the adult taking his little hand and delicately pushing him to relocate it at his side.

"Damn..." Makoto muttered, although he couldn't figure out if he was mad or ashamed. Why did things always have to work out unlike he wanted? If Jenrya Lee had remained up there, at the headquarters, neither Sakuya nor Itsuki would have seen him losing and giving up like that.

"Giving up? Who said I've already given up?!" He whispered, giving voice to his inner thoughts. Then, he raised his head and looked straight in the man's orbs, those orbs he hated with all his heart. Masahiko put a hand on his forehead, scared of what he was going to say. Whatever he is about to do, he realised, won't worsen the situation: this place has turned into a lair of statues of chalk!

"Why do you keep us away from interesting missions all the time?!" He groaned. He didn't have to be scared. Gods had given him a brain for a specific purpose...Not to do his homework, though. "And don't start saying we aren't old enough, because I'm sick and tired of this garbage!"

Makoto breathed heavily and ignored the fact he had shushed his surroundings; what mattered the most to him was getting a proper and good answer.

"So?" The boy impatiently urged his interlocutor to talk: he was also fed up of his custom to wait before replying.

Jenrya, who had been stock still for some minutes, finally moved and brought a hand under his chin. That conversation reminded him of when he had eventually accepted the trio as an official group of Hypnos recruits. Despite having clarified to the children they were still classified as rookies, that kid hadn't understood it yet.

"Makoto, how many times do I have to tell you on which level of our hierarchical pyramid you three are?"

The boy lowered his head again: he did know that. He wasn't an idiot, he would have liked to cry out.

"This," He cleared his throat. "This isn't a fair reason! Being rookies doesn't absolutely mean staying in this stupid, coloured cotton-wool! I've finished attending kindergarten, can't you see this, Uncle Jen?!" His voice became even louder, hoping to scare the adult at least a bit.

Instead, unluckily for him, Jenrya responded with another question, this time a very dry one.

"Makoto, why do you think you're here? Why do you think I've sent you here? Do you really believe you're here just to feed little Digimon?"

"What?" The boy could only mutter and for a second his pompous eyes met Itsuki's ones, which were confused and slightly distraught.

The man continued, certain he wasn't going to get a satisfying reply from the child.

"Do you think this cotton-wool is really what it looks like? What if I told you in the future Sakuya will teach you some notions, which are very important during some kinds of missions? Caring Digimon is something you have to learn to deal with, sooner or later," He paused for a second crossing his arms. The kid needed a lesson, or he would keep on being a teeth pain forever. "I suppose your impatience is forcing me to do what I don't want to. Indeed, I will have shown you this, when you are a bit older, but..."He shrugged, sighing. "I guess it's time to introduce you to another dark side of Digi-Tears."

Makoto instinctively scowled, returning to the spot where Itsuki and Yang were.

"Neh, Mako-Chan, you really should stop making Daddy's life a Hell," The girl confessed and looked at Yang, searching for a possible nod. Although Makoto was aware he had made her angry, as she couldn't stand his hatred for her father, he felt relieved when he noticed she was still considering his presence. Usually, whenever he tried tempting Jenrya to get him involved into a quarrel, she would pretend he didn't exist, and that bothered Makoto a lot.

"Kids, let's go!" The man called them, as he was throwing up and down a lucid plastic card.

Sakuya and Masahiko were still next to him, checking if the little Digimon had been woken up because of the ruckus. Makoto could have almost sworn he had heard the only woman of the team whispering into Jenrya's ear something like, "Are you sure it's the right thing to do, Sir? Aren't they too young?"; regrettably, he didn't manage to read the man's lips.

"Now, please, follow us." Masahiko said, weakly smiling. That attitude was strange, since he always strived to battle against his childish shyness and present himself as a reliable and droll Hypnos operator.

Makoto, Itsuki and Yang followed the three adults like they had been ordered to, and passed through the whole nursery area.

"Isn't this an amusing place?" The violet-eyed girl grinned, intending to live up the tense climate.

"Do you know what your father was referring to?" Makoto asked. Jenrya Lee's words didn't want to leave his mind. "Didn't they sound a bit bleak to you?"

"Sincerely, even Lee-San's face looked a bit darker than usual," Yang pondered, and both him and Makoto slowly nodded, staring at each other. "What may Hypnos hide? It's connected to the government, after all."

"Secret murders?" Makoto began.

"Some kind of conspiracy?"

"Aliens?" The two boys continued in chorus, and Itsuki couldn't handle that situation anymore. They looked too serious, in her opinion, their mouth were trembling and their hands shaking.

"You should stop reading that sci-fi trash!" She exclaimed, but she was scared just like them: this time Makoto wasn't the one who was hiding the fact that was afraid.

"H-hey Yang, aren't y' sad you had to leave Leafmon. I mean, you had become friends...Big friends..."

Unexpectedly, she heard a whisper in her ear.

"What if they are really aliens?"

"No, really, what if Hypnos collaborated with Area 51?"

She gulped, as they kept on walking and following the three adults, who weren't so joyful either.

"Aliens don't exist, you jerks!" She brought herself to respond, but she had started shaking too.

"Hey, Yang?"He heard Makoto inquiring. "Have you read the newspaper?"

Itsuki blinked, perplexed, when she saw Yang unnaturally smirking. "Yes, I have."

"Don't you pity the little girl?"

Itsuki imperceptibly moved her pupils and took heart, "Why? What happened to the little girl...?"

Makoto turned to her with a smug expression.

"No, it's just that a week ago she had her beloved bunny stolen. Guess who did that?"

"Aliens," Yang concluded.

Unconsciously, Itsuki picked up the pace.

"Why would aliens be interested in bunnies?" She made an effort to stay calm.

The tallest child of the trio held back laughter. "They need coats like us, of course. Haven't you ever noticed their tails look like a ball too? It's not a coincidence. I've also heard they...Eat them. Poor little girl, without her bunny. She won't see it so soon. Maybe never."

It's enough, Itsuki thought, as a chill ran down her spine. Eventually, she bursted.

"You're a couple of idiots! Idiots! Idiots! Lunamon isn't a rabbit; it's my Digimon. Moreover, Makoto, you can't even open one of our school books! How and why should I believe you have read the newspaper?!"

She did a long jump and reached her father, holding on to his strong arm and ignoring their laughters. No matter how many aliens are over there, she realised, Daddy will protect me and Lunamon. Then, a thought hit her head and she turned again.

"But y'know, it's cute you're getting along so much today! Y' should do it more often. What about forming a comic duo together?" And she sticked her tongue out, leaving her friends stunned.

They had enjoyed themselves so much they hadn't even noticed their surroundings had changed and shifted. Makoto found himself in a sterile hall, among scientists and operators working at their computers.

Finally, Jenrya stopped in front of an automatic door, clearly armoured and bulletproof. Makoto's eyes grew dreamy when he observed the man putting the card in front of a highly technological scanner, which emitted a green light.

"Access granted." A metallic voice pronounced and the door opened.

"It's just a special key every member of the headquarters has got. It's like an ID card," Jenrya explained and let everyone step in, except Itsuki.

"It-Chan, you don't have necessarily to enter." He tenderly gave her a pat on one of her smooth cheeks.

"Why? I'm a Tear Jumper too!"

He unusually looked up at the ceiling, "Yeah, I know you are, but you were having a good time in the nursery, so you can go back there, if you want. You can take care of Yang and Makoto's Digimon too."

"Can't Yang come with me too? Makoto is the one who made you angry."

Jenrya clenched his jaw at that request.

"No, Hunny-Bunny, he's a boy. He will have to deal with these...Kinds of things, when he's older. They need to start getting used to them at this point of their life. Furthermore," He pretended to check what time was. "It's almost half past five. Megumi will have already arrived. Do you remember about Megumi, right? The blonde woman, who's Sakuya's mother's friend?"

She wasn't convinced. "Yeah, I remember about her. She was funny, a bit clumsy, but funny."

Her father seemed relieved, "That's right! She wants to see how much you have grown up. She hasn't seen you for ages!"

Itsuki was really confused. Her father had never behaved like that.

She raised one of her eyebrows, and Jenrya opened his mouth in disbelief, when he saw his adored daughter grabbing his arm with a terrorized expression.

"Daddy, you don't really deal with aliens, do you? Aren't Nyx and Yamaki-San aliens, right ?"

Jenrya was speechless, "Itsuki, what in the world are you talking about?"

She was as stubborn as her mother. No doubts about that. Therefore, he unwillingly let her join the others in that dark corridor, which led to another wide room.

Stock, storage, those were the words that plunged in Makoto's brain, as soon as his orbs met that strange place. Firstly, he could see many shelves: some were empty, others were full of boxes: he didn't know what they contained, though. Secondly, his eyes landed on several bookcases, which were curiously facing each other.

"They are technological compressors," Masahiko clarified, noticing the three children had been drawn by that furniture. "They are used to protect special documents."

"What kind of documents?" Makoto raised his head to see his uncle's face.

"That's top secret information. Sorry, Mako."

He huffed: there wasn't anything that could be considered interesting. Even Itsuki and Yang's expressions looked a bit bored and puzzled.

"Hey, Uncle Jen!" He called the oldest member of the adults with a mocking tone. "You know, we have got a garage and a pantry at home too. There's no need to show me what storage is like!"

However, Sakuya beckoned him to be quiet, pointing at her supervisor with one of her long fingers. Apparently, Jenrya was working on a computer that had a very large monitor.

"What a jewel..." He had to admit, imagining how much he would enjoy himself, playing his favourite videogames. If he had a computer like that, not only he would be able to watch high-definition films, but he would also accept Yang's challenges to those plane fights the Chinese boy extremely loved. He didn't want to confess he was growing affectionate to playing with him at night, on the sly; if his mother found out he always did that, he would say goodbye to everything he cared for.

Sakuya put a hand on Jenrya's shoulder, when she realised he had finished setting that pretty old computer.

"Are you really sure?"

"This is the only way to calm him. I know it may impress them, but I do know that kid needs tough love to stop complaining. Nevertheless...Why does It-Chan have to be here?" He looked up. "She's such a sweet and happy girl, my precious child..."

The time had come, the three scientists were aware of that. Therefore, they told the Tear Jumpers to get closer to the monitor.

"Obviously," Jenrya started. "I don't want you to spread the word. Everything we'll tell you here must stay here."

The man clicked on a fold that was on the desktop. A020-A036, Yang and Makoto could read, but Jenrya opened the file named A022.

"Neh, Mako, sit here, so you can see it yourself".

Makoto didn't know why, but he suddenly felt a sinister atmosphere engulfing the hall. While the document was loading, his hunch increased, observing how Jenrya, who was next to Sakuya and Masahiko now, placed his arm on Itsuki's shoulder, like if he wanted to protect her.

"Here there's something fishy. Definitely." He whispered to himself, hoping Yang would hear it, since he would have liked to share his perception.

After the document had completely opened, Makoto scanned the monitor frantically.

"2022," Jenrya's voice penetrated in his ears. "The Digi-Tears had been just discovered. Nobody knew what they could cause at that time: we had only understood they had been created because of our attempt to link our world and Digi-World. Yamaki-San used to be the responsible of our team: he would help us in our researches at his best. Hypnos is reborn, and it has changed his shape, he would enthusiastically announce, whenever we uncovered something new about these strange holes. Honestly, we didn't know they were dangerous yet. Indeed, we all had been deceived by them, as we believed it was possible to take advantage of them in order to achieve our biggest goal: they are holes, we ended up stating, why can't they connect the two worlds?"

A brief pause followed, and Makoto figured out where he wanted to get at.

"In truth, they were dangerous, weren't they?" He asked, already knowing the answer. "If they hadn't been like that, there would have never been Tear Jumpers! We all know this! We have come here to listen to you, saying things-"

"Mako! Lee-Senpai is telling you the story from the beginning! Sakuya and me were so young, when everything happened!" Masahiko tried to scold him. "This is Hypnos's story!"

He huffed for the nth time and made the chair turn with his legs. Now he could assert his deduction was right: the adults' face only transmitted unpleasant emotions. Jenrya broke the silence again.

"Confident, we steered our research towards that direction: how could we turn Digi-Tears into passages to arrive to Digiworld? We had to carry out some experiments. Hence, we began sending some people to Digiworld through Digi-Tears, and I can assure you the outcome was surprisingly good, even better than what we had expected. The only problem was that, obviously, big holes started appearing in the middle of the serene skies of Digiworld."

He placed his head on Itsuki's, like if he needed solace and, when he raised his head, he allowed Makoto to scroll the page of the document.

The kids froze.

"W-what...W-what are these?!" Makoto could only question, terrified.

The children's little eyes were communicating what they were feeling.

""D-daddy?" Itsuki brought a long striped sleeve on her mouth, almost disgusted.

There were nine photos at the end of the document: it was a report of the "Accident 022", according to Jenrya, the only one of the three adults who was in Hypnos back then. The kids could clearly recognise the Shinjuku Park and the usual green grass they were used to, but the one in the photo was characterised by a bleak detail: it was full of little creatures, which looked like if they were about to take their last breath.

"They are baby Digimon..." The coconut-coloured-haired boy spoke, but found himself unable of proceeding.

"Daddy, what happened there? Why are so many Digimon lying there? There's a little Cocomon too. I can't understand!" And then she buried her face in his waistcoat.

"Yeah, what happened there?" Makoto repeated, even more grossed out than before. He forced himself to stop scrolling the page any longer.

Gently caressing his daughter's blue hair to reassure her, Jenrya began telling the story, flashes of that horrible day appearing in his mind like pictures.

"Men never understand when it's the case of stopping. We men have got an enormous eagerness that doesn't know boundaries. It's only by punishment that we really understand our mistakes, and that time Digi-Tears became our punishers: their unknown powers got out of our hands and they turned into uncountable twisters that wiped out everything they met in Digi-World."

He kept on soothe Itsuki's heart, mitigating her sobbings, as everyone listened to each word he pronounced.

"The problem is that one of those Digi-Tears even managed to absorb some baby Digimon and...One of our workmates too."

Another painful memory struck his brain and he could recall those seconds that felt like hours spent in the Shinjuku Park, which had been closed because of the accident. He had decided to follow Yamaki and Reika along with his team, and was checking his computer in search of useful information that could help them comprehend the reason why that disaster had occurred. He could still hear that weak noise and could still see those big eyes, looking at him with grief. At the very moment Jenrya had reached out to pick up the unprotected digital being, it dissolved into a bunch of red datas, which flew to the sky. What hurt him the most was the recollection of himself kneel down and helpless, while those little Digimon disappeared, creating a domino effect. However, he didn't add that detail to his depressed story.

"In conclusion, Makoto, I had sent you to the nursery areas, so you would be trained and would be able to carry out these kinds of missions too."

Sakuya joined him into his lecture.

"Unfortunately, accidents like A022 have been happening for ages, and nowadays there are still so many babies Digimon that find themselves in our world, among the dangers Tokyo is full of. They are the most subjected to the effect of Digi-Tears."

Lastly, Masahiko felt the need to intervene.

"Although, luckily, Hypnos has managed to elaborate a system that detects the cases in which Digi-Tears may get crazy, we need Tear Jumpers to rescue these toddlers," He blinked, wondering if his vocabulary was fit to the serious situation they were in, and blushed, being aware of the fact the other two adults sounded like very professional Hypnos operators. "Of course, this is why our little Sakuya-Chan proposed to build a special area, designated to protect and let these poor Digimon grow up comfortably. That's how the nursery area was born!"

Makoto turned to give a glance to the desktop once more and his mind filled with fog. The sensation continued persecuting him, even after they had been told to leave the stock: this time Jenrya Lee hoped he had really made the child understand he did know how to deal with children like them.

Makoto really needed to lie down on his bed or play some videogame to remove those awful thoughts from his head. Judging by the way both Itsuki and Yang walked, and by the observation that Itsuki was too silent, he was sure they needed to distract themselves too.

The boy proceeded with a heavy foot. His boots seemed to sink in the white floor, so different from the black and grey one that characterised the headquarters' rooms. It was strange but he also didn't feel like going up there and admiring every technological device they had, bothering Lee-San with his questions. No, like he had already got to find out, he needed to go out of that building, go far away from those people wearing long white coats.

"Ghosts," This was the word that left his lips, while he was staring at Sakuya, Jenrya and Masahiko. "I'm so sick of ghosts," And neither Spadamon nor Yang asked him to repeat what he had just said.

XXX

The following morning a dark-blonde-haired girl sluggishly opened her brownish eyes: her eyelids were radiating heat, which became even more tiresome, when she moved for the first time of the day and felt the warmth of her skin in contrast to her nicely cold blankets and mattress. Atsuko Shiota hated getting a fever, especially when summer was around the corner.

She pressed her scalding face against the soft cushion, refusing to greet another day she would spend in the company of medicines, thermometers of various kinds and, of course, her bed. Nevertheless, it wasn't so bad being cuddled by her mother and father; getting the flu had its advantages too.

"Moreover," She decided to speak in order to check if her voice sounded fine. "I can stay with my flowers the whole day. At least, the ones that are all over the house, since I'm not allowed to go neither to the garden nor to the greenhouse..."

At that realisation, she clenched her fits and nervously clung to the fabric that engulfed her. She missed her greenhouse, her flowers and even the bees and butterflies that often rested on the petals and leaves. It was her heaven.

Atsuko spread her arms and legs, frustrated. She couldn't even go out with her friends. Her real friends, she highlighted, as a cheerful girl appeared in her mind and grinned. It was better they had broken their friendship; she had a new brand life, a life she had never imagined she could ever get.

"My precious friends are Naomi-Chan, Chinatsu-Chan, Hina-Chan, Kaori-Chan...And they'll never act rudely like she did! Not to forget they all used to be their friends!" She didn't want to admit to herself nobody had called her during those days she was ill, though.

After having raised her voice too much, she began coughing, but she reduced the noise plunging into her cushion again, her dark blonde locks bouncing on the candid cloth. Atsuko didn't absolutely want her mother to leave the flower shop and reach her upstairs. If her mother discovered she was still coughing so badly, she would never let her go to the glasshouse.

The girl sighed, relieved, once she didn't feel the irritating sort of itch in her throat anymore, and stayed quiet for a bit, waiting for the moment her mother would be free and wake up her. Therefore, she remained stock-still, listening to the unstoppable ticking of her clock, which resembled a mushroom.

However, the same time she was about to fall asleep, another strange sound came to her little ears. It overlapped with the leisurely clacking of the clock, becoming louder and louder as the minutes and seconds passed by. The girl abruptly sat up: it seemed like if some thief was attempting to break into her room.

"Mum..." She faintly called, but immediately shushed her mouth: the noise was coming from her window.

Atsuko brought herself to stand up, even though she was feeling very weak, and walked on her tiptoes to the small but peculiar window: if someone entered that bedroom, he or she would believe to be in the mountains.

"Who-who is over there?" She asked, a bit scared, but she didn't hear and see anyone out of the window. The noise had stopped too. Maybe I'm raving and imagining everything, she supposed and returned to her bed but, when she parted from the window, the noise started bothering her again.

"It isn't possible..." She muttered, and ran to the window once more, this time hugging her pillow shaped like the head of a Leomon. She did hope to freak out the thief, showing him the Digimon, her favourite Digimon.

"Come out! Come out now!" She opened the window and put the Leomon on the rack. When she was at home, she didn't need to pretend to be the shy girl she wasn't.

"I would come out, but I've been hanging out here for ages!"

"Yeah, sure, I know you're a-" She replied, but was startled when she realised someone had really responded to her.

Atsuko leaned a little further and saw what she hadn't been able to see before: a violet creature, which was asking for help.

"A Digimon?! You're a real Digimon!" She opened her mouth, surprised. "An Impmon!"

She reached out and picked the little Digimon up, excited.

"Thank you, doll." It jumped from her arms and landed on the wooden floor. "You have no idea about how many times I've risked my life in a matter of a night. It has been a pleasure to meet you, but I'm in a hurry."

Atsuko looked at how it climbed on her green wall and got on the window again.

"Bye bye!" It waved its gloved hand, but the girl's hands grabbed its body, before it could escape.

"No, please, don't go!" She implored. "I already know a Guardromon, my father's partner, but...But I've never seen a Digimon as beautiful as you!"

Impmon looked at her brownish orbs begging it to stay. Furthermore, nobody had ever considered it beautiful before. It didn't like its new form, its scary evolution.

"Do you really think I'm beautiful?" It pointed at its face. "I mean, you're not afraid of my pointy tail or my horns?"

The child shook her head, convinced.

"Why should I?"

Then she beckoned the Digimon to jump on her shoulder and took it to her desk.

"What do you want from me? You should be scared, doll! I-I can also throw fiery spheres from my hands. Look!"

"I know. I know. That's a special move you can use. My Impmon card is capable of using that too!"

"Impmon card," It bended its head, but its confusion grew even more when the girl, who had been looking for something into a jewelry box, tied her shiny hair in two low pigtails. The Digimon couldn't help but admire the flowers that were bonding her locks now.

"Don't you think flowers are wonderful?" She giggled, blood raising to her already red cheeks.

Impmon stared at her, even more puzzled than before. What did that girl want to do with a Digimon like itself? Most of all, why had it accepted to remain there? There was something that was drawing the Digimon for sure.

"So, what do you think?" She insisted. "They can make everyone pretty!"

Impmon lowered its head, "I don't think so. They could never make me pretty."

Atsuko blinked: she could have never believed she would meet such a depressed Digimon someday! Nevertheless, she wanted it to cheer up. Hey, Atsuko, you're acting like It-Chan..., she mentally scolded herself.

"Impmon, you're a girl, aren't you?"

The digital creature couldn't comprehend: Atsuko wasn't aware about the fact Digimon didn't have gender.

"Well," She continued. "No girl is ugly."

She chose a red flower from her collection and put it on Impmon's ear, like if it was a sort of ribbon.

"You can't say you're bad-looking anymore!" She gently pushed the Digimon towards a short mirror. "Look at yourself. Aren't you the prettiest Digimon in the world?"

Impmon touched the flower for many times, making different clumsy poses in front of its reflection: it was more than amazed.

"I'm pretty," It stated, confident.

"Yes, you are. That flower also matches with your bandana! It's perfect," Atsuko was delighted. That day wasn't looking so awful, after all.

However, unfortunately, she was wrong. Actually, she began coughing again and this time her mother heard what was happening. She could hear her steps on the stairs; maybe she had gone back home to rest a bit: she usually did it, especially when no client was nearby.

"I-I-Impmon," She tried to speak.

She didn't want it to go away, but her mother had begun knocking on her door.

Before she opened the door, Impmon flew out the window, regretfully, with Atsuko's flower still on its horn.

"Atsuko?!" The woman approached her daughter, anxious. "You shouldn't let your window open!" After having closed it, she took her to the bed and tucked the sheets.

Atsuko could only sigh: she would have never met Impmon again. Nevertheless, she didn't know that, while Impmon was jumping from a roof to another one, it promised itself it would find her again.

"Sorry Atsuko doll, but I can't stay here any longer. Otherwise, my enemies will find and catch me, but I'll come back, because you've been the only living being telling me I'm pretty."

XXX

A week passed, and, finally, Atsuko could go back to school and could see her best friends again. She didn't care about the fact they had never called, even though she had been ill for almost two weeks. In her opinion, they were still better than a friend who had ripped your favourite doll.

"Hi, Naomi-Chan..." She put on the act of the timid girl and ran to the brunette.

"Hi, Atsuko," Naomi Aoki merely said and, after having left her shoes in their special locket, she went to her classroom.

Despite her behaviour, Atsuko didn't lose her happy mood. Aoki always acted in that way; she was so composed. No wonder why she hated Itsuki so much, Atsuko reasoned.

Just as that name had penetrated her brain, the blue-haired girl showed up.

"Good morning, At-Chan!" She chirped, enthusiastic, but Atsuko ignored her.

Nonetheless, Itsuki kept on talking to her.

"Have y' seen the advertisement of that new Leomon doll? It's so cute! At-Chan? Have you seen it, haven't you?"

The only answer she got was the slapping sound of the girl putting her shoes on a shelf, obviously far from Itsuki's, and the noise made by her getting away.

"Hey, wait for me, At-Chan! Have you managed to complete that maths exercise? Neither Mommy could do that! It was so difficult! But y're so clever, At-Chan, so-"

Unfortunately, Atsuko accelerated and sat at her desk, completely ignoring Itsuki like every day. Atsuko had other things to think about, instead of listening to her river of useless words. Where had Impmon gone? She missed it. She missed it so much, even if it was so depressed, she added.

"Impmon where are you?" That was the question she had been repeating herself throughout the periods. Even during recess and lunch, she couldn't keep herself from wondering how she could find it. She really hoped it would come out from nowhere, from some bush, while she was spacing out at the window. She chuckled, noticing a cloud looked like its horns.

"What are y'doing all alone, At-Chan?"

Oh no, not again, she could just mentally complain. She didn't even turn to look at her. She didn't absolutely want her to be there. Why had they ended up being in the same class? Why couldn't she have ended up in the B class, along with Naomi?

"Neh, At-Chan," Itsuki slightly swung her right leg. "Do you remember when Uncle Hirokazu took us to the Digimon Day in Odaiba and we bought as many card packets as we could?" Can y'remember At-Chan? Can y'recall when we took that photo along with the big Palmon? We love Mimi so much, and we still do, don't we?"

Sure that Atsuko remembered about that day, although they were just eight years old back then. She could also clearly recall that photo with the big Palmon, featuring a shiny Itsuki, showing the hole left by one of her baby teeth that had just fallen. Itsuki understood what had happened only when she bit the sandwich her father had bought her.

"At-Chan, I want to go there again, with you, like that year. Who knows, you may even find a card even more powerful than that ultra rare Impmon you found."

At the sound of that name, the dark-blonde-haired child blatantly winced.

"Impmon..."She whispered.

"What is it, At-Chan? Have you still that Impmon?" Itsuki questioned, slightly relieved, after hearing her former best friend's voice.

Maybe, today is the right day, she silently gloated, but her expectations soon faded.

"No, Lee-Kun, I haven't it anymore," She sharply lied. "I've got rid of everything that is related to "Digimon". I don't care about them anymore, since I've grown up now."

Atsuko felt her heart aching more and more, as she kept on lying.

"What about...The photo?"

"In the bin," It wasn't true: she had willingly broken the frame that surrounded it, though. Lie or not, she didn't care about that either, so she turned her phone on and began reading the latest news on a blog she loved; she got away from Itsuki and her heart stopped for a second.

Fire hitting people in Shibuya: inexplicable facts happening before many drivers' eyes.

"Impmon..."

In the interim, Itsuki couldn't believe what she was hearing. She moved backwards, and, without saying a word, she marched towards Makoto, kneeling over her own desk.

The boy immediately stood up, concerned as he had never seen Itsuki so down before.

"It-Chan!" He squatted in order to face her properly. He gave some pats on her longs sleeves, not knowing what to do, until she raised her head.

"Mako-Chan, I want to go to the Digimon Day with At-Chan," She confessed. "But she doesn't want to come. So, this makes me sad."

Why not with me?, he would have liked to answer, but he only managed to stand still and see her lowering the head again. Her small ponytail was the only thing he was able to see, and looked like some diver's tub popping out the sea waves.

That Atsuko-Chan, he groaned, following the frame of the blondie as she sat down at her desk too. Now she wasn't shy anymore?! He was aware about how lonely Itsuki felt, observing Atsuko playing with her friends during recess. It was his entire fault.

"They are just stupid girls. She's a stupid girl too," It was the only way he could comfort her. In fact, sometimes he had seen his father consoling his mother by caressing her arms or hugging her, but, when he attempted to do that, he couldn't help but tremble. "Besides you have got me...And also Yang, yeah, yeah, to play during recess so...Montanai."

"It's Moumantai, Mako-Chan!" The girl's muffled voice reached his ears. Then she went out of her brief depressed period and looked at Makoto right in his red eyes.

"Mako-Chan! What a genius y'are!"

He sweat dropped, "Me?"

"Yes, you!" She shouted, but then quieted not to be heard. "At-Chan hasn't been with her friends today, haven't you noticed?"

"Yeah, that's because she doesn't want them to get flu too..."

She squished his puffy cheeks, "That's not it, Mako-Chan! That's not it! She's been acting weirdly since this morning. Would you believe Atsuko, the queen of the Digimon stuffed toys, has given up on Digimon? It's not possible, Mako-Chan! She's my best friend, after all.

"Uhm, she used to be..." Makoto thought she should come back to Earth and cope with the truth, even if it was hard.

"It-Chan, she hates you now. You shouldn't push yourself so much for that-"

"Shut up, Mako-Chan," She shushed him.

Lessons had finished and they, indeed, Itsuki, had decided to literally tail Atsuko.

"You're crazy, girl," He mumbled behind her, but felt silent when she showed him a fist.

"Why do you want to tail her, anyway?"

Yang joined the animated conversation, terrified by Itsuki's fist. He didn't want to be punched by her.

"Because, I repeat, she's my friend, and I don't believe her words!"

"So, you don't believe your beloved photo is in the bin?" The brown-haired boy shrugged. Itsuki was made in that way: nobody could stay mad at her; if that happened, it would mean that person was sad or had a problem. Makoto wished she would understand life was different and people hating on you existed without an external reason most of times.

"Did you eavesdrop?" Itsuki was annoyed.

"I was bored. This dude didn't intend to put his butt in gear and go out of the classroom..."

Yang didn't know what to say.

"Look! Over there! I told you she's been acting strangely. It's like if-if she's looking for something," The girl concluded as she saw Atsuko crossing the road.

"Let's go," She ordered and they kept on following her, not so skilled, though.

Actually, we are aware about the fact they are just children and not expert spies, so Makoto's mobile phone started ringing and...Spotted. The girl, startled, found out what they were doing.

"At-Chan! I can explain!" Itsuki begged, but she began running and they couldn't see her anymore.

"Good job, Mako-Chan. I would give you a punch now! Thank you! Thank you! Who in the world could call you at this time of the day!"

"It's Uncle Jen," He cut her short.

"..."

"..."

And that was how the Tear Jumpers, tentative, headed to Hypnos after a lot of days.

XXX

As the glass elevator headed up, aiming to the headquarters, Makoto felt a bit scared, remembering about what they discovered the last time they had been there. The scientists they could look at from up there still seemed ghosts to him.

However, his strong personality couldn't be stopped so easily, so, once they had arrived at the headquarters and had entered Jenrya's office, he didn't hesitate.

"What is it now? Perhaps your babies Digimon need some story-tellers to fall asleep? Maybe, you need someone who can take Terriermon for a walk, because, you know, it's a dog!"

Jenrya sighed, "No, you're wrong. You're here because I need you for a mission."

"The day has come!" The boy jumped, but shouted at the sight of three familiar silhouettes. "What are they doing here?!" He pointed at them, disgusted. "You three don't demand us to collaborate with these preppies, do you?"

Masaru, Darya and Leonid, Hypnos's official team of Tear Jumpers, stood there, near to Sakuya and Masahiko.

"Long time no see, children!" Masaru, the leader and the only one who was a Japanese, good-naturedly greeted them politely like he always did. "How is life going?"

Makoto snarled and fumed just like a bull. What kind of cheap joke was that? He charged and dangerously approached Masaru.

"Stop acting like a stupid prince, Masaru! Stop making fun of us, you three! It doesn't work with us," He showed one of his fingers and almost touched his nose.

"Aww, isn't he cute, Masa-Kun!" The Russian girl cooed, making her clear blue eyes shine. "Little Makoto has learned what friendship is! He's been referring to his team as "we", "us". Aww, he's growing up."

The short-haired Tear Jumper was a kind of girl whose tender heart pushed her to have a soft spot for the three kids. Leonid, her twin brother, was slightly calmer than his sister, but agreed with her about how cute the trio looked.

Makoto violently blushed at her sweet comment, but he was persistent in his original idea: it was all part of their tactic.

"You're just envious we have just received a mission," He cockily stated; Itsuki and Yang were grabbing his arms to keep him from venting his hatred against the other agents.

Jenrya and Masahiko cleared their throats, implicitly beckoning them all to stay quiet.

"Leonid, Darya, Masaru, I don't want to interrupt your lovable chat," The man dared to joke. "But I would like to remind you of the reason why you're here."

Leonid obediently nodded, letting a resentful expression thunder his extremely light skin.

"You see, we have grudgingly failed a mission," He lifted up one of his blonde locks and apologised to his supervisors again, ashamed. "We had to rescue a little Cupimon, but it managed to escape from us...We have been looking for it for a week, chasing it as fast as we could; we have also discovered it has evolved into an Impmon without the action of a Digivice."

"An Impmon?" Itsuki questioned, wondering how a cute Digimon like Cupimon could evolve into a spooky Digimon like Impmon.

"Yeah," Darya acquiesced. "Lee-San and Yamaki-San have explained us the Digi-Tear was so powerful it helped it digivolve. The real problem is that, the last time we saw it, it had reached the ultimate stadium of its digivolutions!"

"It has become a Neo Devilmon, can you believe that?! It knocked Darya's Bakumon in the matter of a second...My Strabimon and Leonid's Kamemon too," Masaru shuddered just at the sound of the evil Digimon's name. "We can't fight for a while, so..."

"We need you," Jenrya concluded. "And I'm not so happy to say this," He curbed Makoto's excitement at once, since the boy was already about to brag in front of the trio. "We have never found ourselves in a situation like this, if I have to be honest."

"Montanai! We'll win for sure!" Makoto was pumped, and didn't realise he had misspelled the Lee family's favourite word for the nth time. "Let's go, guys! We'll show these mama's boys who the real Tear Jumpers are!"

"No, wait, you three," Jenrya stood up and put his hands in the pockets nonchalantly.

"There's something I need to talk to you about, before starting this mission."

"I know, you're sorry for having revealed that top secret to us," Makoto highlighted the fact it was a secret, to make the eighteen-year-old Digimon Tamers envious. He couldn't imagine they had already been told about that story, though.

"Not really," The man blinked. "There's an information that's pretty unique about this Digimon. That's all."

"What unique information?" Itsuki and Lunamon's attention had quickly increased.

"It keeps on calling someone, like if it's desperate."

"Someone?" Yang echoed.

"Exactly, Yang. It insistently calls someone called Atsuko: every witness has told us about this particularity."

"What?!" The children could only squeal in chorus, marveled.

Now Itsuki felt like she had every piece of that puzzle in her hands.

XXX

"Uncle Jen has reported me the Neo Devilmon has been sighted in Shibuya. What a pity he doesn't know we are waiting for his dear daughter, who's doing who knows what!" Makoto groaned, sitting on the sofa of the Lee family's living room.

After they had left the Hypnos building, Itsuki told them she had a plan and took them to her house. Nobody was there, luckily.

Yang was quietly walking near to a long furniture and was observing the amount of photos featuring the family during the most important moments of the their life. There were no doubts Ruki-San was a photograph and consequently loved taking photos.

"At least we don't have to go to Shinjuku Park," He responded, focussed on watching every frame.

Since his parents didn't live together anymore, he had few photos at home. Only one of them portrayed him, his mother, father and older sister near to each other and hugged like a real family. He scolded himself, as it wasn't the right time to think about how sad his life had become. Therefore, he dwelled, admiring a photo in which there was Ruki on her adored motorbike.

"How cool she is..." Yang could mutter in awe, but turned when Makoto sounded like if he was angry at him.

"Wizard, are you listening to me?"

"Eh?"

"Should we enter her bedroom?"

The Chinese boy thought the proposal over, but recalled that afternoon, when he sneaked into Shaoyu's bedroom and she threw her piggy bank towards his head; since that moment he had understood a girl's bedroom was an insurmountable place, especially if the girl was spending the time with her boyfriend.

He was about to tell Makoto about the unfortunate episode, specifying he had done that just because he needed to ask her boyfriend about a Japanese character, but, suddenly, a kid showed up. His blue hood was extremely baggy and covered his hair and eyebrows.

"Who the hell are you?!" Makoto snarled like a fiery dog.

"The King?!" Yang pointed at the stranger, but Itsuki's joyful voice reached his ears after a second.

She laughed, enjoying Makoto and Yang's disproportionate reactions.

"So what do y'think? Do I look like a boy?"

Makoto and Yang were perplexed.

"Why are you dressed like that, Lee-Kun?"

"Have you lost your head, Itsuki?!"

She couldn't keep herself from laughing, as she was so good at deceiving people, she was convinced. Even though sometimes she hated the fact she was physically short and small, that feature of hers was useful in certain cases.

"Haven't y' heard what Daddy said? The Digimon is looking for Atsuko! I can't go there and rescue her wearing my usual clothes! Besides, it's funny dressing up as a boy!"

Makoto was finding hard following her twisted logic.

"Do you know how many silly girls are called Atsuko nowadays?! Besides, who has told you Atsuko is in Shibuya?!"

"What if she's there? I have to be prepared for the eventuality!"

The chestnut-haired boy brought himself to smile mischievously.

"Then, since you don't want her to meet your real self, you have admitted you're being hated by Atsuko."

Before she could reply, they dragged her out of the apartment and to the underground that lead to Shibuya.

When they reached that zone of Tokyo, they began checking the Digimon's position with the radar of their Digivices, but no Digimon was anywhere to be seen.

"Neh, Uncle Jen, here we can't find any Digimon. Could you tell us where we should go to?" Makoto contacted Hypnos through his phone.

"At the moment we aren't detecting its presence."

The boy covered the microphone, so Jenrya couldn't hear him and shouted, "It's your fault, Itsuki! It's too late because of your wish to be friend of the whole Earth!"

"Mako? Makoto, are you still on line?" Jenrya's voice nipped in the bud their discussion. "It's near to the station, more precisely, in Harajuku! I repeat, it's in Harajuku and it's about to cross the bridge!"

Itsuki shrugged, "I guess we are going to meet lots of strange folks."

They hurried to the designated place, using the map mode of their Digivices. Shibuya was a huge zone of Tokyo and it was easy to get lost among the people who crowded its streets.

In the mean time, just up ahead, Atsuko was running, the heart in her throat.

"Impmon, could it be you?"

She crashed into lots of weird people: some were dressed up as punks, others like gothic lolita, a style she would have liked to try once in her life.

It was true the oddest fashion styles gathered in Harajuku, she saw sense. Yagami-Sensei had already explained them about that singularity of the place.

Nevertheless, she was more surprised about what Impmon may have been doing since it left her. It had just passed a week: how could it have changed so suddenly? After having spotted Itsuki and her friends tailing her, she had been inquiring about the strange accidents in Shibuya since that afternoon.

"Impmon..."'She breathed heavily, fixing her skirt and looking up at the well-known Harajuku Bridge. "Where are you? You are in Shibuya, but where, exactly?"

She found the strength to approach the first part of the bridge, feeling like if her throat was in fire: it was full of Harajuku girls and it would have been difficult to look for Impmon, but she didn't give up.

"Impmon! Impmon! I'm Atsuko! Please, come here!"

However, her voice was covered by the catchy rhythm of a song the Harajuku girls were singing in the middle of the bridge.

Miraculously for the determinate girl, she managed to see a violet silhouette progressing to one of lolita girls.

"Am I pretty?" The Digimon asked to the young idol, but she started screaming and Impmon began throwing spheres of fire towards the audience and the singers.

The ruckus that formed at once worsened the situation. Actually, all of a sudden, Impmon was engulfed by a too bright light, which turned Atsuko's friend into a sort of winged demon.

"Am I pretty if I do this!?" The Digimon spoke with its new gloomy voice, striking terror by attacking with electrically charged claws.

Although the child was petrified and was feeling like if she was paralyzed -and that wasn't part of one of her acts, but she was frightened for real-,she made a huge effort to move and advance to the furious creature. She had been wishing to see it, her friend, but not in that horrible way.

"Impmon!" She shouted, but the radio was still turned on and the instrumental of the song was playing in background.

She fell, when Neo Devimon began flapping its monstrous wings with violence.

"Impmon! I'm Atsuko! Can't you recognise me!" She shouted again, as loudly as she could, pointing at herself and her flowers. "I'm here!" She said, but it was blinded, she realised; it was blinded by her yearning to be considered cute, beautiful, pretty.

"Impmon..."She tried again, but in vain.

Neo Devimon was reaching her with an elevated speed and was charging its electrical claws. It had come the sunset, Atsuko noticed, her parents will have already started looking for her, but her moment had come. She remembered that, when she was in the third grade of elementary school, Yagami-Sensei told them that nobody can object to Gods and death. Seconds that felt like minutes, then hours. Atsuko recalled the fact Itsuki was epileptic and had been taking special pills every day, since she was born: she wondered if she was getting an attack too; the time seemed to have stopped as well every noise.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but she opened her eyes, which she didn't realise to have closed, and saw two arms holding her body; they didn't look like arms that belonged to some policeman or some fireman: they weren't strong enough.

"The Digimon King?" She weakly whispered, recognising the baseball boy. Then she turned her head and was impressed, when she found herself before three other Digimon, attempting to stop Neo Devimon. They were standing still, with their arms spread, putting their whole strength in their brave feat.

"Do you know that Digimon, don't you?" The boy asked her and talked for the first time.

She nodded without thinking twice.

"Then, go and grant its wish to see you."

Still not looking at her in the eye, the boy helped Atsuko stand up and accompanied her to where the fight was happening.

"Impmon..." She repeated for the nth time. "Our real beauty doesn't only come from outside, but it comes from outside too...Even if not so many people can see it, I've managed to understand how beautiful you are, in your heart. Please, Impmon, stop being what you aren't!"

Neo Devimon ceased to attack, assimilating every word it had just listened to.

"Atsuko?" It questioned, uncertain.

"Yes, I am Atsuko. Can't you see the lilies on my pigtails?"

It landed on the land, ceasing to floating in the sky too, and approached the girl, who was a bit scared because of its new appearance.

"Atsuko...I'm sorry," It reached out to touch her lilies but the same light the girl had seen before engulfed it again. Atsuko retreated and got closer to the boy, unconsciously grabbing his arm, while she observed how her friend seemed to shrink gradually, until a little white digital being fell in her arms. It immediately fell asleep, drops of tears left on its small eyes.

"What-What is it?"

"It's a baby Digimon," The boy explained, caressing its head with those long striped sleeves.

However, Atsuko did notice his voice became too familiar, just as another light appeared before her brownish eyes and turned into a yellow Digivice.

"Woah! At-Chan, now you're a Digimon Tamer too!"

The boy winced and almost tripped.

"It-Chan?" Atsuko exclaimed and narrowed her orbs.

"Ehm..."

An applause reached their ears and they looked up to face two boys Atsuko had already met.

"Congratulations, Itsuki-Chan! Your plan has blown up like a bomb!" Makoto grinned and stared at Atsuko for a while. He had never managed to stand her personality. She was a drama queen, blatantly. Therefore, he had ripped her Leomon doll and pulled lots of pranks on her.

"You three...Itsuki-Chan...It-Chan..." She was speechless. "How, why...Why have you rescued me! I've been so mean."

Itsuki put the hood off, revealing her little ponytail and her yellow ribbon, "You're my best friend. Best friends know when there's something off," She smiled, her amethyst eyes shone underneath the orange colour typical of the sunset. "Even if," She admitted. "We've undergone through a series of lucky coincidences."

Itsuki abruptly grabbed her delicate shoulders.

"Anyway...At-Chan, I'm serious when I tell you I didn't rip your Leomon doll on purpose! I'm begging you: don't let a toy spoil our friendship!" And she hugged her very tight, hoping she would convey her feelings.

"Would you swear you didn't intend to do it?" Atsuko asked, protecting Cupimon from the hug.

"Yes, I swear!"

For Itsuki's delight, Atsuko surrounded her with an arm.

"It-Chan, sorry for everything I've said," Atsuko finally brought herself to confess.

"As far as concerns the photo...I've broken it, accidentally."

The blue-haired girl parted from the hug, "Moumantai, we'll call it even," She grinned, and held her hand.

"It-Chan?" Atsuko questioned, while she was being dragged by her.

"There's no time to waste! We have to take you and Cupimon to Hypnos: we have got a new Tear Jumper! And you two," She referred to the boys. "Could you cover for me? Daddy will be surprised, seeing me like this! Pretty please, just tell him I've been the bait!"

Makoto sighed at her request.

"I've hated this mission. C'mon, it has been so sappy! Tear Jumpers are agents! Agents are men!"

"You're right!" Coronamon supported his Tamer's friend; needless to say Makoto and it were totally compatible.

"Ah, and, Yang, I wasn't about to cry! You have imagined everything, got it?"

The Chinese boy slowly nodded, but he mentally grinned: Makoto Matsuda was a child who hid a big heart in his soul, in truth.

"Japanese are really weird people..." He sighed.

XXX

"Senpai! Another mission that has been a success!" Masahiko Katou blithely exulted, throwing another donut to Terriermon. They had to celebrate.

"Yeah, yeah, but, you know, we'll have to convince streams of journalist everything is under control, which isn't true, because today a Digi-Tear has affected a Digimon so much that it has made it an evil danger for our city."

"Jen, you worry about useless things. Just swallow this donut and shut up!" Terriermon suggested, getting a punch on its head by its Tamer.

"Terriermon is right! There's Yamaki-San and the Wild Bunch who can take care of these things!"

Jenrya tapped his long fingers on the glass desk. Both Masahiko and Terriermon were right, after all. The Wild Bunch always helped them solve critical situation, especially thanks to Shibumi, who had decided to live permanently in Digiworld. That crackers, he thought.

"Besides, Masahiko, there's your nephew too. That rowdy boy hasn't changed either with the hammer down! He doesn't care about anything at all! I've also sacrificed my daughter..."

"And Yang," Masahiko pointed out, but at the moment the children arrived.

Although Jenrya wasn't exactly in the mood, he brought himself to smile.

"Congratulation, you three...Four?"

He noticed there was another girl among them, Hirokazu's daughter.

"Daddy," Itsuki started. "Atsuko-Chan was the one the Digimon was looking for. Ah! Atsuko has got a Digivice now! Doesn't it mean she's a Tear Jumper?"

The adults stared at the child intensively.

"Yeah, it's a real Digivice," Jenrya and Masahiko confirmed. They were a bit shocked, as Atsuko stayed in silence.

"What has happened to it?" Sakuya approached the child and took Cupimon from her hands. She did see it had just finished crying.

"It's the Impmon we had to catch," Yang took heart and said.

"We have to analyze it, then," Jenrya didn't know what to do: did he have to check the Digimon? Did he have to scan that Digivice? Did he have to ask his daughter why she was dressed in that weird way and was holding the hand of her former best friend, who had just become a Tamer?

Atsuko had put on the act of the shy girl again, and touched her chest with a hand.

"Uhm, what will you do to Impmon? What does analyzing mean?"

"We have to try understanding how its genes had been modified by the Digi-Tear," Jenrya explained, but Sakuya cut him short.

"Firstly, you two should remember you're talking to a girl who doesn't know anything about what you're talking about. Secondly, this baby needs everyone's love: it's crying, can you see? This means it's dreaming about the moment when it was pulled inside the Digi-Tear and barged in our world!" Then she touched Cupimon's little paws. "Look, these wounds were caused by the collision!"

While he was listening to Sakuya's speech, Makoto felt his heart throb faster and faster. He recalled the painful photos they had seen a week before. How many baby Digimon had suffered or were still suffering? Even that Dodomon. What would have happened to those Digimon, if the nursery area had never existed? Maybe Hypnos did right things, sometimes.

"You are awfully too silent, Makoto," Jenrya underlined, frowning, but he opened his jaw in disbelief after a second.

Makoto stepped further, "Hm, can I come to the nursery area with you, Sakuya-San?" He blushed, since everyone was surprised because of his request.

"I would like to stay with that Dodomon...Just a bit."

Before Itsuki, Yang and also Atsuko began playing with the baby Digimon, Masahiko and Jenrya stopped them.

"It-Chan," The dark-haired man whispered in his daughter's ear. "After we give Atsuko a lift, you'll have to tell me about everything that has happened in Shibuya. Even Masahiko is speechless, and, believe me, this is a rarity."

Itsuki grinned, while she was petting Terriermon's ear. "Y' know, I don't think you'll understand, because it has been a tale of coincidences. Still," She pressed her cheek against Terriermon's. "I can't explain what's going on with Mako-Chan."

"I guess leaving pacific methods could turn into an useful tool..." He told himself. "Only sometimes, though." He sniggered, when Dodomon expanded its mouth to suck Makoto's head, like if it was a pacifier, and the boy got mad at it.

Sakuya 's life would have never been the same for sure.


	10. Chapter 10

|3| •1 In which the clock moves forward, taking us to those times in which childhood has faded and adulthood threats to completely turn the tide. Let's leave action and adventure for a bit: these are just some recollections belonging to a couple of young adults, who are unfit for this world. Will adulthood ever stop making them hurt each other?]

"Don't you think it's enough, Yang?"

"Oh please, don't be such a tooth pain! We're all grown up now!"

Yang ignored his friend's subtle advice for the nth time that night, and reached out to take the bottle next to him and fill his empty glass again.

He was feeling like if every problem of his life was slowly disappearing into the black hole of his groggy unconscious. As the white sweet liquid went slowly down his throat, the noises and sounds that had been bothering him throughout the whole party gradually became a sort of lullaby for his ears and dark eyes, which occasionally twitched. He would have never let himself close them, though; he knew that urge to fall asleep on the table at once would soon pave the way for the determination he needed to act in the way most people liked.

"Ohi, Mako," He began, yawning and rubbing his dull orbs. "Why have we come to this boring party in the first place? Let's go somewhere else!"

Makoto raised one of his eyebrows and inspected his childhood friend from head to toe: he apparently wanted to check Yang's mental and physical state.

"Have you ever heard about two guests at a wedding celebration who decided to stand up and run away to some cheap pub?" He was certainly irritated by the situation, but there was something in his baritone voice that made him sound like a father patiently lecturing his naughty son.

The chinese young man narrowed his eyes, almost indignant: he was treating him like if he was a child. That attitude was enough for him to wipe out his somnolence.

"You used to hate Darya and Masaru, when we were children! What's the point in accepting this lame invitation?"

"You're right: when we were children," He stopped, hoping that the sense of those words would enter Yang's cloudy head properly: it was a simple concept, but Makoto knew how to deal with drunk people from experience. "Furthermore, I promised Atsuko I would accompany her."

Actually, Makoto did recall how upset Atsuko had become, after having found out he didn't intend to go to the party with her. She had been explaining him how important attending those kinds of events was for month.

"I want our special day to be perfect. I would be so happy if Darya and Masaru could be with us too!"

Those ones were the plain reasons why she managed to convince him; he cared about their upcoming wedding too.

"Atsuko, Atsuko, Atsuko...It's always Atsuko! Are you able to talk to me without mentioning her? This is insane."

Makoto blinked, perplexed, taking into account the wine was affection his friend's mind too much: now he really sounded like a child, attempting to draw his parents' attention.

"Yang..." He began, hoping to extrapolate the last shred of common sense from his interlocutor's brain. However, the next sentence his drunk fellow pronounced pushed him to gulp in a very noticeable way.

"You've changed, Mako."' His friend sentenced, after having knocked back another wine glass.

"What do you mean?" The tone of his voice cracked a bit, as Yang started fiddling with his glass, frowning occasionally.

Needless to say Makoto could already imagine what he was about to say; Yang was going to reveal his biggest fear, that bittersweet awareness he had been trying to hide from himself for ages.

"You've turned into a weak and obedient gentleman, into..." A brief pause followed that note of uncertainty; it was a short break Yang needed to stare at the bottom of the glass, like if he was expecting the missing word to show up in the reflections of the candid drops of alcohol. "Well, companion, you're not the person you used to be: this is the crux of the matter."

Even though the young man's thoughts had undoubtedly became disjointed, the message had been sent to Makoto's ears successfully: it was hard to accept, it was an arrow shot to his endless pride, it was cruel. However, what hurt him the most was the fact that everything was true. Why did his best friend himself have to drive him to open his eyes, though? Makoto couldn't stand it at all, especially because Yang had always been the best one between them at keeping his realizations for himself.

It was unforgivable, Makoto concluded; it was so unforgivable that he let his body take over his mind, and decide to make him act like he hadn't done since he was a teenager. He abruptly stood up and gave birth to an explosion of anger.

"Stop drinking that garbage, dear Gods!" He shouted, taking advantage of that moment during which everyone was dancing: he firmly believed nobody would notice what was happening.

Yang shrugged and smirked, showing Makoto's red face one of those mischievous smile that were unusual for a docile type like him.

"Garbage? If I'm not mistaken, we used to drink gallons of alcoholic beverages when we were high schoolers. We used to do that together. Can you recall?"

Oh yes, Makoto could clearly remember those nights they used to spend playing arcades, always supported by bottles of beer: they were ideal to avoid the risk to fall asleep and lose long challenges. Despite remembering vividly those amusing images, he was sure Yang was the one who would attempt to persuade him not to booze. What had changed them, almost reversing their selves? He couldn't figure out the cause.

"I've not changed!" The coconut coloured-haired young man barked , convinced, but soon mentally scolded himself for getting obsessed of that statement. "Working at Hypnos' headquarters or being about to get married don't mean I've changed!"

"What about a refill, then, or would Atsuko break up with you?"

Makoto had reached the edge of exasperation. His temples were vigorously pulsing and his knuckles had got a purple tonality.

"Do you want me to demonstrate I'm still the same, don't you? Well, I'm going to force you to throw up that rubbish. You're the one who has changed for the worst!"

Just when he had sharply reached out to grab either the lucid glass Yang was holding or his collar, a melodious sound interrupted that quite fierce moment. Both composed themselves and their wild mood immediately and almost magically died away: it was like if someone had added the sweetest type of honey that could ever be tasted to an inedible medicine.

There stood two young women, who were impeccably dressed up for the occasion.

"Weren't we supposed to spend the night together? I was just wondering where you were!" Makoto lied striving to sound as convincing as possible, and spreading his arms to welcome the person he loved the most, who glady allowed him to hug her.

"I know we were supposed to meet before, but, y'know, we have been carried away by the catchy rhythm of the music over there. Look, my legs still wants to rumble!" Itsuki laughed delightfully, as they sat down to catch their breath. "You should have looked at Masaru and Darya booging . They were so cool and beautiful!"

"Just like you two, lovers of every kind of mundane enjoyment," Atsuko teased her boyfriend, pinching his button nose.

He couldn't help but blush furiously. Still, it was better if Yang and Makoto had been sitting since the party started: they were wearing their daily clothes, emerging from a mission that had finished too late for the couple of agents to dress up properly; they looked ridicolous, Makoto admitted.

Needless to clarify the two young women had quickly refused to join the operation, as their schedule was already full of appointments...That lady stuff neither Makoto not Yang wanted to get involved into.

Nevertheless, Makoto couldn't bring himself to decline his future wife's wishes. Therefore, when they noticed a slow dance had started playing in the background, he found himself running to the dance floor hand in hand with her, after having given a glance to Yang, who had grown too silent; in his opinion, maybe he had really managed to freak him out like the old days.

Itsuki followed the pair's silhouettes, as they sweetly moved in the distance like little boats sailing on gentle waves. She could see they would often whisper something in each other's ears, and she began imagining what the topic of their intimate conversation could be. Nothing, she replied to herself: when you're in love with someone, you don't care about what you are talking about; what matters the most is that it's your lover who's talking to you.

Itsuki and her ice skating partner used to be like that too: speaking about meaningless facts, while the whole surrounding world was struggling to solve any kind of problems.

Itsuki frowned: she had promised herself she wouldn't think about him anymore. Everything was over between them, forever: she didn't want to pretend to be the person she wasn't just to be liked, coping with using make-up during ordinary walks and forcing her body to wear sophisticated dresses.

"I was a fool back then," She exhaled, clenching her fists and grinning at the memory of punching that man straight on the nose.

Nonetheless, the young woman sighed, when she realized to feel the unbearable need to have someone by her side, willing to accept her true self. Makoto and Atsuko were so lucky, she concluded. "Oh, stop with this junk of sad thoughts!"

"Isn't sad hearing people talking to themselves?"

Itsuki turned her head, letting her nimble hands lay on the chair back. Her heart skipped a beat when two familiar dark orbs met her violet ones.

"Yang!" She gasped, because she had never forgot about his presence, never ignored him. "Oh, Yang, you're always so quiet I had completely become convinced I was alone."

He sniggered like he had never done before, sipping the wine he had just poured in the process, "You're as goofy as ever."

Another tender laugh cradled her despondent spirit and made the zipper of his military jacket jump up and down: she had always considered his smiles and laughs as precious as rare gems.

All of a sudden she recalled they hadn't been able to meet for a while: they were always travelling and phones were the only ways to keep in contact. However, unfortunately, Yang's profession had forced them to part from their frequent and invaluable calls.

Itsuki would have liked to tell him about the news and the joyful events that had been happening in Tokyo, but somehow they didn't immediately bring themselves to open their mouth. On the contrary, both sat still face to face, and took a few seconds to examine each other's traits, as if the couldn't recognize them anymore. It was so easy to lose yourself in his eyes as deep as an abyss, she thought, almost ensnared.

Oddly, it was Yang who cleared his throat and broke the awkward ice.

"Don't you think this place is too loud? What about going outside? I'm so tired of sitting on this chair!"

That's how they headed to the little garden next to the reception hall. Itsuki started trotting bilthely, while Yang tried keeping the pace. She didn't seem to care about the fact he was behaving out of character.

"So, what could I say? Hm, how does being a pilot feel like?" She asked, interested in the occupation he had been aiming at since they attended elementary school.

"Finally, I can feel what being free is like. It's fantastic, Lee-Kun, you should try doing that too."

That response sounded rather empty in the young woman's opinion: she was used to listening to Yang's endless explanations about philosophy and that stuff she didn't even committed to understand. Still, she was too focused on hearing that clear and jovial voice of his, which her ears had never got to know before.

"It must feel great. Isn't controlling a sort of unmanned bird a bit surreal?"

He got an expression that was a blend of dismay and amusement.

"Have you forgot I'm just a co-pilot?" He tapped a sort of badge resembling a hawk , which was attached to his green army jacket. "Unfortunately, I'm not a military pilot."

Her surprise was huge enough for her to dust the drawers of her memory in order to find a novel about a military pilot that was one of his favourite book to read. She let a loving chuckle escape from her lungs, finding his implicit complaint adorable: he was still a kid inside of his heart, after all. He had never given up on his impossible and childish dreams. Who knows if he still played baseball, she wondered.

"I don't think being a military pilot would be so cool...You might die."

Obviously she wasn't taking the matter seriously, as he didn't seem too inclined to amaze her with his monologues about utopian ideas, but his sincere confession disturbed her, making her eyebrows slightly twitch.

"It's not like someone would cry on my grave. Geez, maybe I wouldn't even have something like that. I have no home."

Even though he had a wide smile on his face, like if he was finding the whole topic funny, she couldn't help but imagine a more melancholy Yang pronouncing those words: he was so convinced about his thoughts, without realizing in truth he had a place he could call home. It was Tokyo, it was their group, it was her, weren't they? Why would he come back, after some months spent piloting planes, then? She would have done everything to persuade him, but apparently he wanted to avoid that conversation.

"Oh, anyway, how is ice skating going? Lots of newspapers have been claiming you intend to leave the couple ice skating world."

The silence fell on them once more. The only sounds they could perceive were the noise produced by their shoes hitting the ground, and the music that came from the building. A shadow obscured her face for a moment, but immediately disappeared as she beamed his confusion with a shiny grin.

"I've splitted up with Daiki. That jerk. You know, he reached the peak of stupidity, when he told me about how ashamed he would feel, whenever I went out without make-up. That's the night I punched him and threw one of those stylish high heels he loved so much straight against his face!" After having mimed the act of giving a punch to someone, she winked. "Do you remember about him?" She was so proud of how strong she seemed and looked. Just like her mother.

"Sure, sure. He was the hunk who liked kissing you in public. How could I forget about him?"

Yang felt the weird urge to tell her about how much his heart would ache, whenever that tall boy took her in his strong arms, making the others understand she was his girlfriend, his treasure and nobody could touch her. He hated him with all his might. It was his fault if back then Itsuki even stopped asking him if they could ride his bycicle together. Slowly, the chinese teen found himself losing lots of those activities that made his life worthy.

"You deserve someone who's better than him, Lee-Kun. You can shine while you're skaiting on the ice alone too," He stated, suddenly appearing as the usual serious Yang. "Sometimes I happen to watch your latest individual competitons and I will get so marveled because of your perfection at fitting Ciajkovskij's symphonies. I've saved some videos on my phone too." If he hadn't been drunk, Yang would have obviously wanted to bury his head in the sand. He would have never told her about how pumped he would feel after having watched her skating gracefully, and would feel the desire to play his piano, inspired by those dainty notes.

They returned to the zone they had begun walking from: evidently, the garden was circular. Nevertheless, even though he had left her speechless, neither the young woman nor the young man wanted that conversation to end.

"I'm looking forward to skating all alone, then!" She chirped, as both sat down. "I want to please my number one fan!"

"You know, Lee-Kun, I was quite disappointed when you didn't show up at Hypnos this afternoon."

Her laugh soon sagged, mixing with the summer breeze, as he encircled her shoulders out of blue.

"Yang...?!" She questioned, fighting against the chill he had sent down his spine. "Hey," She struggled not to stutter. "Could you tell me something about this decision of growing that little beard? i just hope you don't intend to grow it even more..."

What was the point in fighting against that sensation, though? She surrended at the sight of his dreamy expression, and got closer to his body, as he pressed hers against it. It did felt strange, she admitted; it wasn't just the fact his figure made her feel even smaller than usual. It was everything that was feeling off, but she had been wishing for something like that to happen for ages, hadn't she?

Claiming the young man wasn't responding to his brain's commands anymore could be considered as an euphemism. He had been observing her body absently since they sat down, carefully studying every curve her black dress gently embraced. It was like if his ears had gone numb: now he could only hear the timbre of her voice.

Nonetheless, what was drawing him the most was her face, which was a combo of her parents' traits. There were the locks of her soft hair, which had darkened as the years had passed by, her mismerizing eyes and, once more, her mature yet heavenly voice, which could have brightened him up with caring words, full of that love he had never experienced.

Then, there were her smooth and slim hands, which had begun touching the back of his neck, proceeding to caress his black strands. She was smiling only for him and his drowsiness couldn't help but push him to find her small mouth inviting.

Is it alcohol that's making me fond of her?, he asked himself not knowing what he was doing. Wine had never dragged his soul to the edge of emotional arousal; he usually got drunk and became bold to hit on women because, deeply in his heart, he acknowledged his true shy personality was the worst one he could have ever been given. It was its fault if his younger self had been so coward and had never welcomed Itsuki's feelings for him, before it was too late. He wasn't afraid; he merely wasn't capable of breaking that jail his timidity was.

Still, that night Itsuki was pressed against his trembling chest; Daiki was nowhere to be seen. Nothing could keep him from doing what he really wanted to do. Nothing and nobody could stop him from leaning forward and kissing her.

"Itsuki, I..." He muttered, but soon forgot what he was telling her. Who cared, he immediately said to himself. After all, it was enough for him to perceive his heart and hers beating as fast as they could.

Finally, he had become the confident man he wanted to be. He didn't shake, when his hands touched her warm cheeks; his ears didn't blush, when their bodies, their faces, their lips were half an inch away from each other's.

He was about to close that undetectable gap, when he was hit by something in his chest.

"Idiot."

His deep eyes met Itsuki's angry's face, which woke him up from that odd trance. She was growling towards him, her eyebrows contracting because of the realization that one wasn't a dream; it was the reality, a reality in which Yang had got drunk to do with her who knows what. She would have never accepted that reality, which was as painful as that one.

She stared at him with frustration, like if she was looking at a stranger. Where was her Yang? Where was the Yang she had loved since they were children, the caring, shy, kind Yang?

"Brush your teeth, when you go back home. Your breath smells like a wine cellar."

She glared at him, but, after a brief second, she approached him with a sad expression, looking at that man intensively. Was she really going to refuse him? Could she bring herself to kiss him despite everything? She brought herself to put a hand on his cheek, stroking it like he had done before, but found herself lowering her head.

"Sorry," She whispered and walked away, too upset to use her strength.

"Wait, Itsuki! He managed to raise his voice, surprised because he had called her by her first name. He reached out but a wave of nausea took over and didn't allow him to run and reach her.

Fortunately, two arms caught him from behind before he fell on the ground, kneeled.

"You have got a problem, Yang...A serious problem."

"Itsuki..." He said again, but that name seemed to lose its meaning steadily.

Makoto sighed heavily at the sight of his best friend wiggling and trying to break free of his firm arms. He hadn't imagined he would attempt to hit on their childhood friend.

"Surely, tomorrow will be a busy day. You'd better hope Jenrya Lee will never get to know about this. I think tonight you won't be able to ride your motorcycle too."

Obviously, he was sarcastic, but, after all Yang was a dear person to him, even though adulthood had changed him...So dramatically.

"C'mon on. Let's go to the toilet for a bit, before you vomit on my shirt or on someone else's ."

They had always been like that: they would have many fights, but their bonds was extremely strong.

Meanwhile, Itsuki had returned to Atsuko, who were looking for her boyfriend: he had suddenly stood up to go outside.

"It-Chan! Dear, they are about to cut the cake. Where have you guys been?"

She grabbed her slightly tanned arm and Itsuki followed her, not thinking about what was happening around her anymore.

Thank Gods that Daddy and some other Hypnos members haven't managed to come. Thank, thank you, Gods, she could only repeat, biting her tongue to keep herself from telling Atsuko about what had happened.

How does it feel to refuse a kiss from the man you've loved for your whole life?

"It wasn't supposed to happen in this way," She sighed, occasionally crashing against some guests.

However, just when they joined the crowd cheering for the couple and expecting a sweet kiss, she felt like if the Sun could soon go back to bright her days.

She had to go beyond the mere fact, she knew it. Why had Yang got drunk? Was he really among those kinds of men who would get drunk without a specific reason?

She couldn't stop thinking about how gentle his touch felt, how tender his laughs were, how wrong reacting to him in that way might have been wrong. He was sincere, she marked into her head, and her unconscious was slowly suggesting her he had also tried to pronounce those three words she had been whispering in the wrong man's ear for years. Maybe she was just holding onto a frail hope, because she loved him so much she didn't want to believe he had grown to be as empty as Daiki.

Talking about him, she had been the girlfriend of a man who didn't accept her true self. Could it be...?

She really wanted her hypothesis to become real: wouldn't it be amazing if she could manage to see the usual Yang smiling carelessly and blushing at the same time? Her orbs grew dreamy, while she was imagining her shy Yang confessing to her without getting drunk.

Grabbing the whole love he felt for him, determined, she decided to switch off her brain and raising the glass Atsuko had just given her.

How does it feel to be in love with a man who doesn't accept himself?, she wondered, regretting not to have gone to the university and studied psychology.


	11. Chapter 11

[ 2 •1 In which adolescence brings confusion and wrong choices with itself. Are advices about love really useful? Is listening to the heart really the right thing to do? Most of all, what has puberty done to this group of friends? The shadow of future has come too close to them.]

xxx

What Ruki detested the most was being considered as a nosey mother, one of those women who are so hungry for discoveries about their children's social life that they fatally end up slipping into their kids's bedroom and rifling through their drawers or checking under their bed, looking for who knows what.

In her family it worked the whole way around: it was her husband who would call rock bottom when it came to their daughter, and she was always the one who had to keep him tied up like an irritating dog.

"I don't want my only daughter to grow up as a dull princess in a crystal cage because of your insane fixations. Let her go," She would say, whenever she caught him eavesdropping one of the girl's phone calls, or taking advantage of a quiet night on the couch with his daughter to occasionally give a fulminous look at who she is texting to.

"He's going out with a boy, Ru. I'm just protecting her from how upset she could become because of him!"

Those were the moments she would have smacked him with all her strength (sometimes she really didn't manage to keep herself from doing that) and would have showed her precious child sometimes her father could cross the line, going beyond any level of patience. However, Ruki did know Itsuki was extremely attached to her father, and that endless and unconditional love had never dwindled, even during her adolescence. It didn't matter how much Ruki would often try joking and underlining his flaws, Itsuki didn't care about them at all, which was an aspect of her daughter Ruki was really glad it existed, since, at the time Itsuki was born, she was extremely afraid of what the future of the girl was meant to become; what if having created a family had just been an illusion and it was condemend to be shattered soon? Was her child going to live in a divorced family like in her past? Obviously, those were only fears that had been dictated by the uncertainty, which had taken over her during that beautiful phase of her life.

There were time she even got slightly jelous about how close father and daughter were, but the truth was that she had wished for a family like that with all her heart. She would have never wished for a different one, despite the inevitable problems they had faced and would keep on facing together.

Nevertheless, in reality, there was something she could do with her daughter Jenrya couldn't do; it was an ability that had developed more and more during Itsuki's high school years, an ability Ruki didn't know to have: giving advices to the girl, especially about love matters, which -and it was important for Ruki to underline this fact to herself- didn't mean she was a nosy mother, even though she couldn't hide she enjoyed herself doing that. Jen could have never understood Itsuki's talking about her young feelings, indeed, he didn't have to understand them, because, if he knew she was dating someone, he would panick and become overprotective. It was their secret, it wasn't wickedness, since it was because she loved her husband that she didn't want to make him stressed about those futile matters.

Therefore, that night, after having taken into account Jenrya was reading in his study and the door was closed like always, the woman quietly knocked on the door of her daughter's bedroom.

"You've come back earlier than I imagined," She pointed out, sitting on her bed.

"Dad would have become suspicious. He does know Atsuko isn't the type who likes coming back home late during school days. The lie would have crashed."

Ruki instinctively laughed, realizing Itsuki had become even wittier than she used to be as a teenager. That was her daughter.

"It, soon or later Terriermon will be the one that will find out everything."

"Don't worry, I do know how to bribe our doggie."

Another laugh followed, but this time they were laughing together, eventually falling silent, when they remembered they mustn't be spotted.

Then the long-awaited question came out of Ruki's mouth as a whisper, remaining up in the air for a second and filling it with expectation. Nevertheless, Ruki didn't really need to hear that from Itsuki, since the girl immediately blushed and smiled at the memory of the first date in her life.

"So, how did it go?"

"It was...Honestly, Mommy, it was perfect! The pub was awesome, the food was great and...And he was perfect, Mommy, I can't describe how I felt, how I'm feeling now. I think my heart will never stop beating so fast!" She fiddled with her dark locks, holding tight her pillow against her chest. "It's a pretty empty answer, isn't it?"

"Oh, you'll just have to get used to it, it's not like it will ever stop," The woman waved her hand nonchalantly, making Itsuki blush even more. "If it stops, just know there's something off and it's time to reconsider your feelings for this dude. I have got so much to tell you about, for example, every jerk I've met in my life, especially The King of Jerks."

Itsuki bended her head, amused because of the name the woman had just just pronounced. The woman undoubtedly had a talent for finding effective nicknames.

"But y'love Dad, even though he can act as a jerk sometimes, don't y'? Once he told me that, when y'two were younger, the more y'called him an idiot, the more he fell in love with you."

What Ruki would have liked to ask was, "Did he really say that?", but she merely decided to nod, not managing to stop thinking about the fact Itsuki had misunderstood her. It wasn't Jen The King of Jerks she was talking about, but she was referring to her first boyfriend ever, the former so-called "Digimon King", Ryou Akiyama. Itsuki had met him in the past, but Ruki had never had the chance to tell her about that love story, which had made her suffer a lot. In her opinion, the worst thing it could happen in a relationship wasn't being betrayed itself, but struggling to believe the person you have loved for years could do something like that.

"Your father is the king of so many things besides being the hugest jerk in the world and Digiworld," She rolled her eyes, cracking a smile.

She would find another moment to explain that dark side of relationships. For now Itsuki had to enjoy herself experiencing her first love, then she would teach her how to never let her guard down, even if Ruki acknowledged her daughter wasn't the type who let boys walk all over her.

"I'm curious about the nicknames you will give this boy in the future." She joked once more, before standing up: unfortunately, it was quite late and Itsuki had to go to school the following day. Furthermore, Ruki had noticed Itsuki needed room to get accustomed to her newborn feelings. Therefore, it would be better if they talked about the date during the following days, when she didn't have to worry about hearing whether Jen was going out of his room, or about the hour.

"I'm going to bed, It," She announced, bending to pass a hand through her hair, taking into account the girl was still daydreaming.

Hadn't they already kissed, had they?, She was pushed to wonder, after having kissed her on the cheek. Nobody could blame or accuse her of having become too soft; she was that girl's mother and their bond was the most special one it could exist on the Earth. She was so proud of her, it was her biggest joy.

When she reached the door by stealth, she couldn't help but free her curiosity.

"It, has this dude already sticked his tongue in your mouth?"

The pillow Itsuki had been hugging for the whole night was violently thrown against the woman by the girl, whose face had got a very intense red colour.

"M-Mom! What the hell! How can you believe something so embarrassing has happened during my first date! Geez!" She pouted and crossed her arms, huffing and making Ruki laugh for the nth time that day. Why should she keep herself from following her feelings, those genuine feelings, after all? The young surly Ruki Makino would have never imagined someday she would have fun with her own daughter like that day. It was almost like if she had been blessed by a miracle, she couldn't help but think about that.

"Calm down, I just wanted to make sure you hadn't lost your temper because of this kid. I'm not used to talking to a timid Itsuki at all," She explained, smirking, and making Itsuki complain even more. "Goodnight, It," She tenderly chuntered.

"Goodnight, Mommy," She chirped, sticking her tongue out, as she looked at her mother snucking out of her bedroom.

There was a deal mother and daughter had made: Ruki would never get to know who the boys Itsuki dated were, until the relationship between them became quite solid. Still, wasn't it obvious? Itsuki was so convinced Ruki didn't have a clue of whom she was dating, but Ruki had understood who he was -or, at least, she thought she had-, since the moment Itsuki had announced her she would go out with a mysterious boy.

After all, who would take her to a pub instead of showing off and making reservations at a fancy restaurant?

That boy really knows how to treat my daughter properly, The woman mentally remarked, feeling content in her heart, because those two had finally managed to be honest to themselves.

She would have fun, when Jen found out what was happening. He didn't suspect anything: he had fallen asleep peacefully, after having read one of those boring books he adored. He was oblivious of what was happening in his own house, to his own daughter. That wasn't meanness, she told herself again.

"He does know how to play a game brilliantly. For now, at least."

xxx

The sunset had always been a fascinating time of the day because of its colours and the heartwarming atmosphere it was able to bring onto the Earth. It was characterized by a halo of mystery too: it was the door to the night, after all, the last hope for people to see the light. Actually, Yang always found himself asking who or what told humans the following day they would be greeted by the light again. That was such a pessimistic thought, but he couldn't help thinking about that possibility, whenever he finished lessons and crossed the orange-coloured roads of Shinjuku.

It was also the right moment of the day to play the piano. There was a magic spell it could cast on him that made every superfluous thought flow away in the current of his unconscious, and made him imagine the shadows, which were projected on the wall, had suddenly turned into people dancing at the rhythm of the symphonies he played.

It was such an unpleasant feeling going back to the reality and abruptly interrupting that enchantment.

"You may be a timid guy, but you do know how to play the piano," A melodious voice, which was laced with pride, reached his ears.

"Who would a pianist be without a singer, after all?"

"A pianist. A mere pianist."

He didn't keep himself from showing his disappointment after having heard her sharp reply.

"What is it now?"

"Well, I mean...You were supposed to say I was wrong because it's the contrary, in truth," He admitted, scratching his head, before realizing he had failed at joking. Again. "Sorry."

"I can sing a cappella perfectly too. I don't necessarily need a pianist."

Yang sighed, quite amused, as Naomi Aoki put her hands on her hips, frowning. She was made like that, of pride and confidence, which sneaked up from a huge bush of wavy dark locks, an endless cascade falling down her back. Obviously, he couldn't forget about her amazing skill at singing, which always sent chills down his spine.

"I think we should call it a day," He announced, when he found himself staring at her too much. "I've enjoyed myself playing The Moonlight Sonata with you. I'm looking forward to hearing you singing The Symphony n 40."

She nodded, without giving him the smile he was expecting, but, he mentally repeated once more, she was Naomi Aoki: there was no sentence he could find to make her smile or laugh. She was a bit similar to him.

"Wen, shouldn't we ask Sensei for the music room again? It has already passed a month," She asked him in her usual polite tone, as they descended the stairs.

"Ah, I've forgot to tell you about this," He stopped for a second to take something from the pocket of his jacket. "Look, he has given me the key."

The brunette looked at what he was holding in his hand as if it was a bug.

"Of course, it's yours," He attempted to smile, giving her the object, but he already knew he had irritated her.

"Why did he give it to you? You were carrying it in your pocket! What if you had lost it?!"

She had a point, he couldn't deny it, so he preferred staying in silence, walking next to her side to the entrance, as she kept on staring at key as if it had been a jewel. She wasn't disgusted anymore, at least.

It was so weird she hadn't asked their teacher to find another boy or girl who could play symphonies for her. It was true they had been classmates for ages, but it was blatant she couldn't stand him so much. Nevertheless, they were still together, cooperating to make classic music more interesting, just like their teacher wanted and had asked them to do.

Who cares about baseball and planes, Wen. The real path you should follow is this one, The man had been underlining that fact since he attended high school, but he would have never accepted that advice.

He took his shoes from the closet and checked his phone, finding out that afternoon they had spent more time than usual in their world full of music. He was late and he was making Itsuki wait. She was surely going to give him a punch for having left her waiting outside, freezing.

He dashed to the spot where he had parked his bycicle, frantically waving to Naomi.

That was bad. He was already imagining her, crossing her arms and patting her toe. However, when he got to his bycicle, Itsuki wasn't nowhere to be seen.

He couldn't find any message about her absence either.

"This is strange," He said out loud, since she had never skipped their daily stroll. Indeed, it was especially during those cold days of December she would beg him to let her ride his bycicle, inventing the weirdest reasons he had ever heard. Actually, riding a bycicle during winter wasn't so pleasant, in his opinion.

Maybe she had to go to the ice rink earlier , he reasoned. Therefore, he decided to go back home without her. It was useless to wait for her to come, after all: she hadn't joined any club because of her ice skating trainings.

Somehow it made him sad hearing only the noise which was produced by the tires of his bike scraping the ground. Yet, he felt genuine relief, when she replied to his text, mirroring his previous convictions. The problem was that, as the days passed by, those messages grew more and more, as well as shorter and shorter.

Eventually, she explained him she couldn't wait for him anymore, since her new coach wanted her to train more hours than usual.

I'm into a new type of ice skating now: couple ice skating. It's more complex than the individual one, so I'll have to train harder. Sorry, Yang.

It's ok. Don't push yourself hard, though, even though it wasn't really ok, in truth.

Soon the only opportunities to see her were represented by their Hypnos mission, although she always paid more attention to her phone than joining their fun or helping them during the operations.

Eventually, he ended up replacing his usual stroll with Itsuki to the unexpected and unimaginable stroll with Naomi. It all happened naturally and, surprisingly, he quickly got used to walking with her, despite his shy and awkward attitude that would never fade.

"I think you should show up during the next concert," That evening she started saying.

"What do you mean?!" He jumped, wincing and blushing evidently.

January had arrived and the roads they were crossing were covered by the snow. He had made a habit of staying with her until they reached the subway stop, since she lived near to the ice rink, a quite far area.

"Why should you play, hidden by the curtains? It annoys me," Her candid scarf seemed to be in contrast to the angry expression she had.

"Well...The stage is yours," He giggled, but he knew she wasn't laughing at all. He had made her even more upset than the second before.

"I want you to play the piano next to me," Naomi insisted, staring at his dark eyes intensively, waiting for an answer that would never come. "It would be more scenic!"

He could have never told her he was afraid of showing himself playing the piano in front of the whole high school. What if he made a mistake? What if he got paralyzed with terror? He would break Aoki's dream of being on a stage and he would never forgive himself.

She huffed, making her wavy locks fall on her forehead. "Anyway, will you come to the contest?" She hid her face into her scarf. It was extraordinary how she managed to balance school, the activities of the club and her ice skating training.

"Ah...Yes...I'll come with Kou. He has been counting the days to this contest," Actually, it was impossibile for him to forget about the event, since his other classmate and close friend had been talking about it for months.

Still,Naomi couldn't ignore the melancholy tone of his voice at all.

"It will be a weird feeling not meeting Lee-Kun in the corridor of the changing rooms, I won't deny it. It's not like I appreciated her continuous joyful shouts, but she was a good rival. I hope she will realize the couple ice skating world is full of pitfalls. She has accepted an interesting challenge," An unusual veil of doubt appeared on her face, when she finished her speech and saw the familiar sign of the underground.

"Wouldn't you like to enter that world too, Aoki?" He spontaneously asked, also because he wanted to change the topic.

"Well," She shrugged. " There are paparazzi everywhere."

"And you're a Persian cat who prefers leading a peaceful life, aren't you?"

I'm really a dork, he couldn't fight the will to give himself a punch, after having seen the expression her round face had got. Good job, he told himself, but he soon realized Naomi was looking at something else, indeed, someone else.

"What are you looking at?"

Then he turned and was tempted to rub his eyes, as if he was hallucinating.

There, on the stairs of the underground, two people stood, indeed, two lovers. They were all over each other: the girl pressing her body against his chest, her hands, covered by her gloves, touching his face with passion; the boy kissing her almost vehemently, circling her hips with his arms.

They seemed a picture belonging to Romanticism, even though no girl of those pictures had ever had the dark blue colour the girl's hair were characterized by, and the violet eyes she had, Yang would have liked to add.

"So...This is..." He really couldn't bring himself to speak and say something that had a sense. He only managed to back, not paying attention of how slippery the road was. "Why...Why hasn't she..."

Naomi looked at him trying not to stutter, but she was shocked as well. Yet, her world didn't seem to spin like Yang's or her heart wasn't beating that fast like his.

"She hasn't told me about this," He finally spat. "Aoki, did you...know about this?"

So that was the reason why Itsuki didn't want to spend her time with him anymore. He couldn't believe it. He had started suspecting there was something off, but he would have never imagined...Something like that. "I'm going home, Aoki. I'm-I'm not feeling well at all," The cold weather had become even more unbearable than it usually was for him, and he couldn't understand why he, his body were reacting in that way. He could even feel the pulse of his heart into his ears. "See you tomorrow, I guess," He whispered.

"No, wait," She tried, staring at his eyes slowly filling with a feeling that was similar to a deep fear, but he had already got away from her.

Naomi, who felt a bit confused because of what she had happened to experience, thought it seemed it was his bike that was dragging him and not the contrary.

"What a weird boy," She sighed, before descending the stairs.

Far from the underground Yang agreed with her, unconsciously.

"I'm so fucked up," He put a hand on his forehead, trying to get rid of the memory of that kiss. Why did he care so much about it?

"I'm too fucked up."

xxx

"If you are so curious, then, the answer is yes: he kissed me. This evening. On the stairs of the subway."

Ruki threw the remote control onto the armchair that was next to the sofa, irritated by the lack of good programs on TV. At least, she could have fun with her daughter's news.

"Look, It, I really hadn't noticed it. You've just been spacing out and touching your mouth since you came back home."

The girl pouted at her mother's remark, but she acknowledged that was the truth.

"I couldn't control it," She said out of the blue.

"Of course, Dear. I didn't know people could control their passion."

"Did your first kiss feel like this, Mum?" She questioned, her eyebrows arched. She didn't seem so happy about her first kiss.

"Like what?"

"Like if you are making a mistake."

Ruki approached her daughter and tenderly hugged her, noticing it was like if she was about to cry.

"It, you have to give him time. Relationships aren't as fast as the messages you send on your phone. They need time to bloom, that's all."

Itsuki's mind immediately focussed on the frame of a brunette with big dark orbs and on a chinese boy chatting animatedly with her. They had surely bloomed in a blink of an eye.

"What if...What if I've ruined my first kiss...What if my first kiss was supposed to happen with someone else?"

The woman held her tight, hoping her husband wouldn't come back from work right at that moment.

"I just want to find a lovely boyfriend and become as happy as you and Daddy."

Ruki couldn't help but smile gratefully at that statement, and gently she caressed her short locks.

"I had a mistaken first kiss, do you know? I kissed a man who just wanted to play with me. He didn't take love seriously."

Itsuki raised her head and wiped her small tears, sniffing.

"Wasn't he Daddy? What about your first kiss with Daddy?"

"No, it wasn't with him, but that doesn't mean anything. If you want to find your real love, you must discover what false, deceving love is. Of course, that's not your case, Dear."

"How do you know...?" The girl finally smiled.

"I'm your mother. I can feel certain things."

Ruki was really sure everything would be fine for Itsuki. Unfortunately, she was living into a world of misunderstandings, and she couldn't imagine the boy Itsuki was dating would become just like Ryou in the future

xxx

She's lying to us and I don't know why."

"Who?"

Yang had a tendecy to say everything that would enter his mind out loud, without even noticing it. Therefore, he jumped when that voice he had known for ages reached his ears.

"Who? Who is lying to you?"

A firm hand gently grabbed his shoulder and pushed him to turn his head.

"I was just rambling to myself," He shook his hands in front of his face, feeling uncomfortable in the presence of those red, fiery eyes looking at him like a lion staring at a poor gazelle. " I'm lost in thought, that's all," Then he gave a quick excuse in order to avoid to face that complex sitaution and nimbly escape from Hypnos like a cat.

The chinese boy beckoned to Coronamon that was playing with Spadamon, and accelerated the pace, without even caring about changing his wet clothes: the liquid of the Digitear they had been into was more sticky than usual. Hence, he looked forward to getting rid of that substance; he wasn't going to do that at Hypnos, though.

"Are you already leaving? What about the shower?" Makoto raised an eyebrow and patted his toe repeatedly.

"At home, of course," He aridly replied, stopping walking.

"But you never have a shower at home after operations, as you don't want your sister to complain about your sweat and the stench of that liquid."

Clenching his fists, Yang let his irritation escape from his soul. He didn't need a second father, and Makoto had got the bothering attitude to act like an old man worrying for his children. Yang hated his lectures.

" I may already know Shaoyu isn't at home!" He snapped. "Since when have you become the wise and caring one here?!"

A surprised expression dominated Makoto's face, after having got further proofs that his docile childhood friend hadn't been acting like his usual self lately. He had been pretty detached from the world, in his opinion. It was blatant something had been concering him.

"Yang, what's the matter?" He slowly asked, still stunned by his previous reaction.

"Nothing," He muttered another answer, frowining evidently, but he soon convinced himself to apologize to the other boy, having realized how rude his behaviour had been. "Sorry, Mako, this mission has tired me out."

Even though that one was another excuse, both cringed at the memory of the fierce Birdramon attempting to pierce their skin with its claws. It had been so hard for them to defeat it, especially because the digital bird gradually turned the whole Digi-Tear into its perfect habitat: a hot flaming desert, a place in which soon the act of breathing itself became unbearable.

"We have risked our life down there! I hope It-Chan is fine. She didn't seem so focussed on fighting today. Actually, I can't remember how many times I shouted to her she had to be more careful. That girl! If she doesn't want to join our missions, then, she will have just to say so!" He groaned, bringing to the surface his past edgy personality, which had been shrinking day after day for years. "I would like to talk to her about this matter."

Before Yang could explain him he didn't want to exclude their friend from their operations, the girl showed up.

"You've finally finished using the changing room as a private beauty salon!" Makoto sarcastically exclaimed, pointing at the new clothes she was wearing and her perfectly combed hair.

Yang blinked, perplexed, at the sight of Itsuki without her little eternal ponytail. Moreover, he could swear he had spotted traces of make up on her cheeks too.

"Where-" He tried asking, pushed by a bitter hunch, but Makoto preceded him.

"Where do you think you're going? I want to talk to you."

Keeping on typing on her phone, she chuckled, "I can't be late, sorry. Today we are praticising the Platter Swan, so it's going to be a very difficult lesson."

" I didn't know you needed make up and frilly dresses during ice skating trainings!"

Eventually, he stepped further and took her phone, in order to get attention. However, what he only got was a glare, as if the girl wanted to fulminate him immediately.

"Mako-Chan, what's your problem, honestly!"

"I've already told you: I want to talk to you about a certain matter!" He snarled, hiding the phone under his back, when he noticed what she could only think about was the technological device.

"Give me the phone back, Mako-Chan!" She attempted to grab it again, but every move he did made Itsuki remember she was much smaller than him.

Meanwhile, Yang stood still, staring at the two teenagers barking against each other like if they had been two children attending kindergarten. Lunamon, which had jumped on his shoulder, was shaking incontrollably.

"You can't take my phone without my permission!" He could hear the girl repeating over and over.

"Is it possible you can just talk about this wreck?!" And then there was the boy who had completely flown off handle.

"Guys..." Yang tried to restore a peaceful atmosphere, hesitant, but the two didn't intend to put an end to that useless discussion. Soon some agent would come to check why there was such a ruckus in the hall of the headquarters.

"Guys, c'mon, there are other ways to solve this problem!" He made a great effort to advance and get in between the two infuriated teenagers. Suddenly, he felt like if he had got into a stormy ocean.

"For Gods' Sake, Yang! Tell that dork he has to give me my phone. Now!" He immediately met two infuriated violet orbs, full of hatred. He would have never imagined Itsuki would go berserk because of a phone.

"Why do you want to have it so bad, hm? What are you hiding from us? Would I find the reason why you've been so distracted lately?" It was clear for Makoto the discussion had become a pretext to challenge the girl.

A deep silence followed that question, and Yang found himself staring at the various reactions that rapidly appeared and disappeared from the girl's face. Was it merely anger?, he began asking himself, as he petted Lunamon's head to calm it down; or was it embarrassment?

"You..." She hissed. "You would never dare to do that!"

"Then, tell me, tell us what's the damn problem!" The tall boy demanded peremptorily, shaking the phone up and forth.

"There's no problem! You are just imagining things! Damn you, Mako, I'm late and it's all your fault."

The atmosphere had become too tense. Sooner or later Yang realized they would burst as well as their temples; actually, he could see them pulsing on their foreheads, as fast as the rhythm of their breath. However, he really couldn't do anything. He had already tried, but he had failed...Like always. He really would have liked to curb that oral brawl, act like a sort of mediator, but he hadn't been able to take heart. Even though he knew what was going to happen, he was frozen and his tongue had been deprived by its main function. He couldn't talk anymore and the word he could only eradicate from his mind was coward.

"Mako, please, don't do it", he would have liked to say, but what he could only

do was standing stock still and see the inevitable occurring.

"What's the problem?! Are you kidding me?! You must have gone nuts, Itsuki! Do you believe Yang and me haven't noticed you had been spacing out for the whole mission?! You haven't paid attention once! You just stayed next to us physically, but the truth is that your self was somewhere else and who knows where!" He sighed like a bull, before saying what he should have never said. "If you do not want to be in our team anymore because you have other things on your mind, then leave. You're not forced to come everyday."

In the grim oblivion the trio had fallen the sharp sound of Itsuki taking her phone could be heard, and somehow both Yang and Makoto thought to have come back to the past; that past in which Itsuki and Makoto constantly used to fight, insult each other and eventually hurt each other. They both could recall that grey afternoon of their first year as Tear Jumpers, when Itsuki had decided to leave the team because of Makoto's stubbornness.

People never learn from their mistakes, it's just a silly excuse we use to justify our inner wickedness, Yang thought, keeping his head low, scared of what was happening. He could feel Lunamon's soft fur not touching his cheek anymore: it had decided to jump on Itsuki's shoulder instead, maybe to cheer her up with just its close presence.

"So, do y'think so?" She looked straight into Makoto's red eyes, peeved like always. Then, when she heard no answer from him, she unexpectedly proceeded to ask that question to Yang too. "What about you? Do you agree with him too?"

Obviously, no answer came from Yang's mouth either. What could he have said, after all? He did know about what was happening: he had seen it, he had seen them, and...It hurt him so much, even though he himself refused to accept a feeling like that one. Did he hate her? Had he really begun hating her?

"It's fine, guys," She calmly concluded. "I knew someday it would happen, I was aware of the fact we would reach this point sooner or later, and I hate this. But do you know what I hate the most?" She turned her head to the right side, as if she was about to cry, but quickly brought herself to look at them properly. "I hate that I had been expecting for this to happen for a while, and...I'm...I'm almost feeling relieved." She used her long sleeve to wipe her tears, which didn't intend to arrest their outburst. "I've been dating my ice skating partner. Do you remember him?"

Makoto opened his mouth, surprised, while Yang started looking at the floor again. How did it feel hearing through her voice the hard truth he had already discovered? It hurt, he mentally repeated, his hate for himself rising.

"Yeah, y'know, Mako-Chan, y're not the only one who has been dating someone for months."

"How long have you-" He stuttered, not believing what he was finding out.

"Oh, for four months."

"And At-Chan knows-?"

Constantly rubbing her wet cheeks, Itsuki nodded, "Don't blame her, please. She has been helping me for a long time."

Makoto blinked, alarmed, when she abandoned herself to an endless weep, her body caught by a series of spasms. Why had they ended up like that? If Jenrya Lee had been there, both Yang and Makoto would have met the end of their existence.

"Because, y'know, y'two, I'm experiencing so many beautiful things that have been parting me from my past. I have got a new life that can't embrace my previous one too. I'm entering a whole new world, and...I'm struggling to welcome you all into that too."

Itsuki managed to gain her composure again and grabbed her bag. Even though she was expressing every burden of her heart, her brain was focused on her upcoming date.

"The reason why I didn't tell y' about Daiki is because I'm not ready to accept such a drastic change. I'm not ready to leave you and dive into a future without you three. I...Don't even know what I'm doing, as my feelings themselves are so confused at the moment. I might be doing the right thing or otherwise. However , I'm aware that, if we don't part now, we'll part in the future. Our roads will be distant. So what would be the point in keeping on staying together, when we already know it won't be the same after we finish high school?"

This is how she definitely left them in the hall, speechless, irradiated by the pink light of the sunset, which gave the wide room a bright and soft colour: it almost seemed mocking, taken into account they had just made their cheerful childhood friend cry.

xxx

"C'mon, say something and blame me like you only can do," Makoto spatted, after they had entered the glass elevator. "Don't tell me you have fallen into mutism."

"Mako, you really never learn," Spadamon sighed, and Makoto beckoned it to stay silent, if it didn't want to receive a punch.

"Maybe, nobody among us has never learnt."

Yang looked at how the experiment area came closer and closer to them, as if they were condemned to collide with it.

"What's this shit?" Makoto frowned at the melancholy sound coming from his friend.

"Do you think we have acted so differently from our early days?" In his mind a gallery of memory fragments flew like a river: Itsuki slapping Makoto as a child; Itsuki of that present slamming the door, after having made them understand that, even though they were childhood friends, they should still matter about their own business. "It has been just like that day, Mako. I'm still the one who can't take a position, while you're still the one who can't control his tongue."

Spadamon and Coronamon energetically nodded about the part related to Makoto. He hadn't changed at all, even though he wanted to.

They went out of Hypnos in silence, until Makoto couldn't stand that situation anymore. He stared at Yang as he removed the lock he had put on his bike.

"It's not like she was serious, Yang." It sounded more like an uncertain question than a statement.

"I don't think so." The Chinese boy couldn't bring himself to forget about the tears wetting Itsuki's amethyst-coloured orbs.

"You're such a pessimist, I shouldn't talk to you so much. I'm afraid I could absorb your negative thoughts."

Makoto saw Yang rolling his dark eyes, and he realized he was struggling to understand what was going on in his mind.

"Itsuki will come again to Hypnos. She has always come. It's not like a dude could turn our friendship into something it has never existed," Makoto pressed. He trusted his childhood friend. She wasn't among those kind of people who couldn't throw a relationship away so easily.

"Have you ever considered the possibility that she might not come back to us?"

That was enough, Makoto mentally shouted. Therefore, he held onto the other side of wheel of Yang's bycicle to make him lose his balance.

"I believe in It-Chan, and you should do that too," He was mad at his companion, there was no doubt about that. He never put any effort in looking the glass as half full, and that attitude of his pissed him a lot. Moreover, he was showing not to trust Itsuki at all, which was the worst thing Makoto could get to know about him. "Who's this Daiki? Why does he have to ruin our friendship! Atsuko has to tell me more about this moron!"

Yang cracked a smile, which was rare for a person like him. Still, Makoto could notice that was a melancholy one.

"Mako, you haven't understood anything about her speech, have you?" Then he raised up his head to look at the sky, which always transmitted hope and courage. "Lee-Kun has clearly stated she wants us out of our life, Mako. We-we can't fit in her life anymore. Don't be fooled by the whole explanation about how confused she is, because-" A flash projecting that kiss appeared into his consciousness. How could he really buy into those lies? Everything was a lie. That afternoon she was kissing him so confidently, so passionately. She wasn't confused at all. Their bodies were pressed like if they had been a single being.

"Because...?"

Yang shook his head, "She has just found other friends, Makoto. It's normal. It had to happen...I suppose. At the end of the school year I bet she'll leave Tokyo in order to pursue her dream."

Both averted their gazes from each other, and Coronamon and Spadamon perceived the sadness that was soaking their souls, just like the light of the street lamps that was radiating the roads. Whenever they touched that matter, they would arrest every enjoyment and stare into the space, as if they were two lovebirds during their first date.

"Yang...By the way, we have always believed Itsuki was the only one who wasn't feeling the weight of the end of high school..."

"Instead..."

They had reached a point of no return. It was blatant, and they both acknowledged it. No one between them wanted to face that obviousness. Only a year and a half and they would part from each other. On the contrary, they had been pretending that moment would never come or, at least, it was very far, like the stars that were shining above them.

Eventually, they arrived in front of the Matsuda Bakery, which was extremely crowded as always. Fortunately, Makoto and Yang had planned to play online until they were spotted and told to go to bed.

"I just hope that megaphone my mother is won't stress me about helping them, because I really want to kill off those blowhards with my guns".

That's how he wiped out the too gloom atmosphere they had risked to create. He mimed the gesture of shooting a gun against Yang's chest, and Yang imitated him like a mirror.

"Then," The black-eyed boy suppressed a laugh: only Makoto could make him forget about every concern. "What's the catch this time?"

Makoto's face got a concentrated expression, the same that would warp his face, whenever he had to do the homework of one of those subjects he hated. Atsuko loved it.

"If you lose, you'll confess," He sneered, and Spadamon already put a paw on its face, pitying the poor other boy.

"What? To whom?"

Coronamon cut Makoto off immediately after he had opened his mouth to reply.

"To Nao-Chan, of course!" The digital lion chirped, and shared a high five with Makoto, when they saw Yang plainly blushing at that name.

"You're blushing like a tender baby," The Digimon and the boy continued teasing him.

"I always blush, you know, even because of..."

"Cats," Coronamon and Makoto said together again, and Yang was about to suggest them that they should become partner, as they were extremely compatible, apparently.

"I'm not doing it."

"Then...If you lose, you talk to Itsuki, and, I'll do the same if I lose, of course."

The first thing Yang could think about was that he had made a mistake, when he told Makoto he hadn't changed at all.

"There's a difference between that time you and Itsuki quarreled as children and today", Yang bitterly started.

"What is it?"

"That time she was the one who showed to care the most about our group. She was the one who wanted us to be together, while you were the one who didn't want to be honest to yourself. Now...I think we are in an opposite situation." He would have liked to add And Daiki-San wasn't there back then, but he bit his tongue, as he should stop being obsessed with that boy and...That kiss. It wasn't his business, he repeated to himself the nth time.

"Ohi, Yang, wake up! I'm the leader of our team! Atsuko would never talk to me again, if she got to know I've let Itsuki go like that!"

He raised his punches into the air, maybe forgetting he was almost a grown-up now, until a delicate yet determined hand pulled his ear.

"This is where you've been this whole time. I know you're coming back home in late in order to skip your chores. I'm sorry, but I'll have to shatter your dreams, Young Man."

"Mum, it hurt, stop it! I'm not a kid!"

That was a pretty pathetic scene, Yang thought, as his eyes followed Juri dragging Makoto into the bakery. Of course, she waved her hand to him to say goodbye, like she always did. Despite every psychological problem Juri could have, Yang would feel happy and amused, whenever she showed up...A bit like he felt when Itsuki was around.

It's not time to think about this garbage, he silently scolded himself.

I'll do everything I can to win this match, remember, That was the message Makoto sent him through a series of clumsy gestures.

Sure.

In a blink of an eye the closed front door of the Matsuda Bakery parted the two boys, like it had been doing since they attended elementary school.

To part: that word seemed to have become an integral element of his life. After the following winter they would have to leave everything they had become affectionated to.

He had to part from Makoto, Kou, Aoki-San and Lee-Kun, even though she had already decided to tear the wire that had been connecting them for ages.

Maybe, she had made the right choice, Yang thought. It's better ripping off a band-aid before it completely sticks to the skin, making us suffer even more than we were supposed to do.

Slowly, she had got away from every fragment of her past, from not paying attention to their missions to putting an end to their usual strolls and chats.

They, indeed, he had lost a huge portion of those parts of his ordinary life he cared about the most, and what hurt even more was that he was going to lose other ones. It wasn't possible holding so many things dearly to your heart, he realized. His heart was fragmenting day after day.

Somehow, below that dark cloak the sky had turned into. now he could really understand the true meaning of one of Lee-San's wise saying: Nothing lasts forever.

"Life sucks," He muttered, and finally he brought himself to hop on his bike and begin pedaling to his house.

"Even though we manage to get Lee-Kun back, nothing will be the same anymore."

And in the distance the tiredness pushed him to swear it sounded like if the Moon was teasing him with an imaginary, mocking voice:

What if you could turn back to the past?

xxx

"Boys are surely weird beings..."

Itsuki kept on scrolling the long message Yang, the most awkward person she had ever met in her life, had sent her.

"They pull out their intelligence only when you threaten to ditch them or they want to wind you up."

Ruki, who had just finished preparing the breakfast for her and her daughter, sat at the table and gave a quick glance at what the girl was reading with an evident wince on her face.

"He surely has written a papyrus," She underlined, amused by the surprises that taciturn boy hid behind his shy personality. That time Itsuki was really talking about Yang. "You must have frightened him to death, It! I'm so proud of you."

Itsuki blinked, confused, indeed, almost dismayed.

"He has sent me this essay at two in the morning, Mum!" She remarked, shaking her phone.

"Probably he got drunk, Darling. You can't imagine what your father used to send me after a hangover."

The girl instinctively put her phone on the table, staring at her mother, wincing.

"Dad didn't use to get drunk, Mum."

"Oh, surely he did, my child, and let me say fortunately he did."

Itsuki opened her mouth in disbelief.

"Mum...What do you mean?"

"When your father got drunk, I was sure I would have lot of fun with him."

"Did he use to send you weird messages?"

Oh, my daughter is too pure, Ruki smirked, feeling like if she was taking her child through a sort of initiation ritual.

"Not only, Dear. Not only," The woman couldn't help but feel the strong will to laugh at that veiled reference. "Beer could turn him into the opposite of what he really is."

Staring at the message again, Itsuki felt her cheeks slightly blush.

"Mum, what are we even talking about?" She had got the hint, and she erased every thought about her father the woman was making her imagine.

"Men are machines, my Dear."

"Mum...We were talking about a message, weren't we?"

The auburn- haired woman calmly proceeded to sipping her coffee.

"Of course, It, this doesn't mean you two have to get drunk every night to enjoy yourselves. You're eighteen year old, it's true, but your love mustn't be based on becoming a couple of animals, whenever you find a quiet place in which you can hide." She passed a finger on the border of the cup. "Do you remember that holiday I told you about, after you and the dude had gone to the beach together?"

"That one during which Daddy took you to see that meteor?" For a second Itsuki's eyes grew dreamy at the memory of that day Jen taught her how to dive properly. He showed her a meteor that had fallen in the depth of the ocean. It was really beautiful feeling the water surrounding her and wanting to push her body to the surface again, while her father was holding her hand and helping her go deeper. "I think I've forgot how to dive, Mum," She added, but she was ignored by the woman.

"Yeah, yeah, the meteor. He never gets tired of seeing that rock, whatever...During that holiday we had so much fun you can't imagine."

"Ah."

"I can't remember if I was drunk, maybe just a little, but when I saw him in that dive suit...", She was caught by the recollection of that day. "He was shining under the Sun, because he was all wet, and I couldn't resist..."

Her daughter lowered her head, her cheeks now shining as brightly as the rays of the morning.

"But you're here thanks to that evening, Darling."

The girl abruptly stood up, covering her mouth because of the embarrassment.

"Mum, I don't want to hear this! I'm going out! Now!"

She took her phone and accelerated her peace, until she almost collided with her father.

"Wow, It, are you ok?" The man patted her head with affection, before turning to his wife. "Ru, where have you put my glasses? They aren't on the bedside table anymore."

Ruki shrugged her shoulders, "Why do you still ask me about these things? You already know Terriermon likes playing with your glasses and objects. Go looking for your dog," Then, like if she had been meditating about that question for ages, she let that question slip out of her lips. "Jen, do you remember what we did during that holiday to Okinawa. We hadn't got married yet." Indeed, you hadn't even proposed to me, she was tempted to add, but she didn't want to highlight their child was a holiday child.

The man didn't think twice before giving his reply, "But of course! We rented that boat and we went diving together to see the meteor. How could I forget!" He circled Itsuki's shoulders, pressing her against her chest. "It-Chan, do you remember how much that meteor shined, despite the darkness of the abyss?"

Ruki sighed heavily, "This can't be helped, I guess," She stood up too and grabbed Itsuki's arm, heading for her bedroom together.

"Why did you ask me about our holiday? What were you two talking about?" She could hear his doubts from the corridor, but she didn't answer him.

"Itsuki, men are so dumb, remember that. We have got so many features and abilities that make us better than them. For example, we can remember what they don't manage to."

"I see..."

Noticing the atmosphere had become pretty tense between them, Ruki cracked another smile, one of those she didn't have to hide behind her shield anymore.

"Remember, when you two have fun, the most of times you'll be the only one who can recall that. So, don't mistreat that poor boy, it isn't his fault. Maybe, he doesn't even remember he sent you that papyrus." She didn't know it wasn't a love message, though, but it was a text through which Yang begged her to come back to them, availing of philosophic theories. "At least, Itsuki, you won't spend your time trying to get him out of his clothes, when you're older. You know, motocrossers suits are less tight than diver suits."

The wink the woman gave her made the girl even more confused about what her mother had just told her, but she didn't dwell on thinking that over, since, after having closed the door of her room, the only matter she could think about was how fast her heart was beating and how warm her cheeks were feeling. The mere fact he had used such strange topics to convince her pushed the girl to laugh uncontrollably: she couldn't understand anything about what he had written,but she was sure she would talk to Makoto and Yang that afternoon, after having gone out with Daiki, of course.

Nevertheless, when she realized her heart wouldn't stop beating so quickly, her eyes wouldn't stop reading the lines of the message over and over again, her huge smile wouldn't disappear, she understood everything.

"I'm in a big trouble," She muttered, throwing herself on her bed and being able just to think about how in love Yang was with her former ice skating rival, what a hard crush he had got on her.

That was the first time she hadn't considered Daiki's presence in her life after months.


	12. Chapter 12

[• 10 In which light and dark alternate, even in the narrative tone and different kinds of love end up blending together. Let's see what Yang and Makoto will manage to do without Itsuki helping them get out of troubles.]

The stillness of the air was suddenly filled with a barely audible whisper that soon disappeared into nothingness' oblivion.

That quite tensed atmosphere could only be alleviated by the good-natured grin that appeared on the younger man's face.

"You know, sometimes it's better to be optimistic and believe in the people that surround us. I think even this grey sky could clear, if we started doing that."

He raised his head to face that stolid expanse with his hazel-coloured eyes, as he stroked some little creature's head, being careful not to touch its little horn.

Masahiko had such a childish view about the world, Jenrya couldn't help but mentally remark; sometimes he would also feel envious of types like him: wouldn't it be so beautiful to lead a life in tranquillity without constantly thinking about the fate of the world? Indeed, he would very often find himself imagining what his life would have been like, if he had never got to meet Digimon and Digiworld's reality. He would have never met his wife and his friends, though, not to talk about Terriermon.

"Honestly, you should only be concerned abouth those two and hope they won't kill each other."

Jenrya turned his head to look at the digital dog that had just spoken. It was so hard for it to stay quiet, but Masahiko did know how to deal with the Digimon thanks to the varied kinds of cakes he would buy at his sister and husband's bakery every morning. It was blatant Terriermon had just finished gobbling the last muffin the young man had given it.

Nevertheless, Jenrya didn't really feel like replying to the Digimon with the usual sarcastic yet peremptory tone he would use, whenever his partner said something that wasn't really appropriate. He didn't even manage to bring himself to tell it that wasn't the main reason why his soul was so devastated by anxiety.

Nobody could understand, at least, nobody among them.

Indeed, maybe there was someone who could, he soon corrected his convictions. Actually, he could feel a delicate hand touching his shoulder just like a butterfly perching on a flower.

"We had no choice. It's useless for us to stay here and look at the portal that isn't in front of us anymore. We have to support them and...Pray."

He looked at her for just a second, conveying her the feelings he was experiencing with those grey eyes of him, which that day weren't shining like they usually do.

Yeah, prayers, he thought. What could a man do, after all? We only have got prayers.

"May Gods forgive us, Sakuya".

XXX

When he heard that caring voice calling his name and reaching the depths of his unconscious, his mind immediately created and showed him a silhouette which was similar to his mother;

after an amount of seconds he couldn't really count it was followed by another one representing a certain smiling blue-haired girl.

"It...", He tried calling her name, but there was an annoying feeling that had been annoying him since he started getting his consciousness back; it was like if his stomach was undergoing through a compression. "Itsuki," He called his friend again, but, when he finally opened his eyes, he was greeted by a dark pair of orbs that made him gulp.

"Makoto!" The other boy shouted, observing the child slowly parting from him, crawling on his back. "Makoto, you have finally woken up...We all were worried about you."

Oh, it had happened again, Makoto willingly bit his tongue at the sight of a chinese boy frowning and staring at him with dismay and two digital creatures that looked like two lions.

"I can't believe it!" He huffed, reluctantly accepting to grab the tanned hand Yang had offered to help him stand up.

His body couldn't really stand those kinds of journeys, he couldn't deny it. He would get an unbearable wave of nausea, whenever he had to go to Digiworld through the Hypnos' gates.

"Are-Are you feeling better?" Yang tried forming a coherent sentence in his imperfect japanese; he had learnt a lot during a year, though. "Travelling isn't for you. This also happens to you during school trips."

Makoto glared at him, before harshly letting go of his hand, making his interlocutor evidently wincing.

"Makoto!" Spadamon immediately scolded him, defending Yang like always. "You shouldn't be so-,"

"Ohi, Spadamon. You're a tooth pain just like Mum and Dad, and I don't want a surrogate for them, honestly!" He cut it off not to listen to its lecture. He hated them. "It's not my fault if Yang has just treated me like a girl," Then, he nonchalantly shrugged, proceeding to rub his hands to get rid of the dirt he could spot on them.

"Just apologize to-"

"By the way, where are we, Yang?"

Spadamon raised its sword out of frustration, hearing Coronamon's laughters in the background, while the black-haired boy took his red digivice to check their location. Once more taking a look at their surroundings, Makoto opened his mouth in awe. His orbs met a huge bush of trees canopies, through which several rays of lights were filtered and gently fell onto the soft ground like gilded waterfalls. He was amazed by how high those trees were: they looked like those redwood trees he often saw on his science book.

"Hm, let's see..." Yang activated the GPS, repeatedly moving his thumb as the arrow kept on moving in circle, until a text appeared. He sighed in discomfort.

"What's the matter?" Makoto asked, still keeping his head raised. He was too enchanted by that sight, even though he would have never admitted that; it was such a girlish behaviour!

"Ehm...It's not like it's my fault but," He seemed to silently gulp, his eyes glued to the wet and luxuriant grass. He was a bit tired of fighting everyday with that boy and being scolded by Jenrya Lee, he had to be sincere with himself. His arms and legs were full of bruises he had got during the uncountable brawls he had been involved into until that moment, which was one of the reasons why his mother would get mad at him; not to talk about how dirty his clothes would get during those fights and how furious she would become at the sight of that mess. Nevertheless, lately, at the same time, he had started experiencing a feeling he had never got to know in his brief life. It was true he would have liked if Makoto stopped acting in that way towards him, but he could also state he would feel a contementment in his heart whenever they began aiming punches and kicks at each other. Moreover, there was also that weird sensation that would hit his heart at the end of those scuffles and made him feel like if he wanted them to never end. His thoughts were in a sort of limbo, and at that moment the child couldn't really figure out what was happening to him, since it was the first time he had got to interact with a peer of his as much as he was with Makoto.

Yang shook his head, confused, before quietly extending his arm and giving him the digital device. Didn't he have a digivice too?, he frowned, a bit annoyed, an expression that was soon replaced by a terrorized one.

The kid heard Makoto loudly growning.

"Are you joking with me?!" He shook the red digivice in the air. "What does No signal mean?! Your digivice is garbage. Look at mine: this is a real digivice, the one that is worth of a Hypnos Agent."

He proceeded to dig in his full pockets he refused to lighten and found the blue technological device, after having thrown Yang's back into his hands. Still, his anger grew even more when the same text appeared on the screen of his digivice.

"This can't be possible!" The coconut coloured-haired boy snarled, eventually flinging the device against the ground without any repentance. "You know, it's a lie updated versions are better than the previous ones. Dad's digivice works in a faster way than ours, and I put the hand on the fire a certain petulant man is behind all this!"

"A certain man like the boring dude next to me?"

Makoto felt an abrupt shiver running down his spine as his heart seemed to have just skipped a beat.

"Ahah have I scared both of you? And you want to be Hypnos a-"

After having understood who that voice belonged to and having totally calmed, Yang and Makoto heard a sort of suffocated complaint, before being greeted by a voice they knew extremely well.

"Sorry for Terriermon's rudeness, children..." Jenrya Lee's embarassed apology could be heard from the radio transmitter they had been given the day before. "Regardless, how are you feeling? Was the journey too much turbolent for you?"

Yang timidly nodded as if Jenrya was there along with them.

"Yes, we are all right. However, Mako-" Makoto gave him a powerful kick, tired of the concern the other boy was expressing.

"Of course, we are fine! What a question!" He replied in place of Yang, gulping heavily as one of the last waves of nausea hit him.

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. We were all worried for you. Please, never lose the radio transmitter."

"Sure, sure," Makoto cockily answered, rolling his crimson eyes. Did everyone have to be so caring that day? It annoyed him so much. "By the way, Uncle, where have we landed? You must know this place thanks of your fantastic computers." It was hard to understand if he was sarcastic, Yang bended his head, but he didn't want to abandon the possibility he might have just showed his passion for Hypnos' stuff.

"You see, this lush glade used to be a bare desert, when I was a child like you two."

They turned their head from the right to the left, raising and lowering it, looking for a sign that could push them to believe in what Jenrya Lee was saying from the technological device.

" I honestly don't think you're right in the head, Uncle Jen. How can a desert turn into Heaven?" Makoto began laughing, until his mind was struck by the clear fragment of a picture his father held on his desk: it featured the man's and his friends' younger selves keeping a flag that was set in the sand of something that looked like a dune. "Geez, he may be sincere!" He incoherently shouted, while Yang and the Digimon were focussed on listening to Jenrya's explanation.

" Like I told you before, the Digiworld we knew as children isn't the one you're in now, as far as concerns both its best and worst sides. Of course, the clearing you have found yourself into is an example of the best sides of this transformation; it's the result of years of work, spent attempting to make the Digital World a more welcoming place.. However, this doesn't mean the desert zone has completely disappeared. You'll find a vast desert, if you manage to go out this endless forest, which is something you absolutely mustn't do. Furthermore, I have to underline the fact that the more you penetrate this area, the thicker the trees become; if you don't want to get lost, follow the route I'm sending to your Digivice and limit your investigation to those borders."

The children did notice Jenrya had suddenly stopped talking, giving birth to a pretty bleak silence. If only they could know how much his heart would hurt at the thought of that mission.

"Please, do what you're told. Don't fail me, guys."

Makoto narrowed his eyes after having heard Jenrya's orders, and was tempted to throw that radio transmitter away. Despite that wish, he did know it was useful for them in case they found themseleves in some serious trouble.

"We have to find out why some Digimon seem to be disappearing," He reasoned, feeling Spadamon's breath on one of his chubby cheeks. Makoto inspected the map Jenrya had sent on their digivices: he couldn't deny those red lines that had been drawn were gradually making him irritated yet slightly unsettled at the same time.

"What is it?" Yang asked, keeping his distance from his peer.

"Why, why do we always have to follow rules? Look at how many interesting places there are beyond these stupid barriers!"

"Well..." The Chinese child brought his arms behind his head. "My father always...Uhm, he used to tell me about how important borders are. He confessed he would never come to like those boundaries that divide the world in the maps, for example...Still, he taught me they are necessary."

A huff reached his ears, a very disruptive one.

"And you agreed about that, you sorcerer?!"

"I think I did," He almost whispered, until a strange and tiny wave of courage washed over him. He wanted to express his thoughts, as he knew Makoto would drag them into another huge trouble. He didn't want to be involved into those kinds of situations again, which didn't mean he had to only think about himself, though, didn't it? "Indeed...Right now I agree with Lee-San too!"

Makoto abruptly turned his head, as if he was about to bite into his peer just like a fiery beast, and Yang started feeling like if he had become an inert rabbit.

"What have you just said?" The tallest boy barked, the radio transmitter had begun making strange noises because of Makoto's fingers' hard pressure: he didn't want Jenrya Lee to listen to that conversation. "Repeat it, c'mon!"

Even if Yang was also used to having the collar of his shirt grabbed by Makoto's determined grip, he found himself gulping for the nth time after the other boy had forced him to look straight into his red eyes, the mirror of his soul.

"Haven't you just said you agree with that wimp?" He remarked his question by tightening his grip: he was aware that, if Itsuki had been there, he would have been stopped with one of her vigorous punches. She intended to make him understand violence was never the right way to solve controversies, and Makoto couldn't deny that message would manage to be metabolised by his brain, whenever he would feel the scorching pain her action had caused on his cheeks or nose. Still, Makoto was so stubborn every teaching he would be given was meant to be a failure.

He will never learn , That's what his mother would often say, pretty dismayed.

Nevertheless, that time something seemed to have hit his common sense. Actually, out of the blue, he freed Yang, leaving the boy and the Digimon, which had been observing the whole scene, petrified.

"Makoto!" Spadamon approached him, confused about what it had just witnessed. "What's the matter, Makoto?"

"Makoto!" Coronamon tugged on the boy's trousers too, worried because of his behaviour.

Yang was still attempting to help his breath gain its normal pace again, when Makoto merely showed the two digital creatures his Digivice.

"Time is passing too quickly," He huffed, turning his head towards Yang again, glaring at him. "Unfortunately, they gave me an useless partner, a ball and chain. Still, either Uncle Jen or Mum and Dad are nowhere to be seen, so this means there's nobody who can order me what I should do to carry out this mission."

Somehow, Spadamon left a sigh of relief after having heard his Tamer's usual stubbornness surfacing again, but it immediately started frantically moving his arms and sword at the sight of his Tamer walking far away from them: he was about to delve into the forest all alone.

"-Makoto! Are you mad?!" It scolded him, as it also tried keeping Coronamon from getting far away too: the other Digimon was drawn by Makoto's obvious idea.

"Since I'm technically free here," Makoto cockily replied. "I'm not obliged to take that worthless and silent poodle along with me."

Spadamon kept on yelling at him, just like a good father would do; it had to avoid being hit by Makoto's kicks in the process.

"If there hadn't been rules, you two wouldn't have even existed!" It pointed its sword at Coronamon and the boy, who were so close to the darkness of the forests.

"Lee-San told us we shouldn't go into the forest!" It relied on the last crumb of strength it had in order to convince them, but everything was pointless, since Makoto kneeled next to it and rubbed its head.

"Since you're so similar to him, just stay with him and go back home or...Well, follow the old man's route."

These were the last words the Digimon heard before being left with Yang in the clearing.

It sighed.

"Ohi you, Coronamon has gone into the forest, do you know that?"

Yang nodded, without giving a real answer . Spadamon looked at him as he sat on the grass and crossed his legs, fiddling with his shoelaces.

"You, ehy, you! Have you heard me?!"

It got another nod from the boy, which literally drove the digimon crazy.

"Your Digimon! Your Digimon is along with another boy, with another Tamer!"

"...So?"

Spadamon used its sword in order to make him stop pretending his sneakers were the only things that existed at that moment.

"Don't you feel bothered by it? You should have stopped them and helped me."

Yang proceeded to slightly touch the blades of grass and tenderly tore them off.

"Why should I have?" He finally answered with a wisp of voice, waiting for Spadamon to give him a proper explanation. However, something like that never reached his ears, since Spadamon couldn't do but blinking at the realization of how different Yang was from Makoto. It was like if it had landed on another kind of universe.

"Coronamon doesn't want me to be its Tamer, and I can't blame it. I...I can't even tell people abot what I have got on the tip of my tongue! Just look-just look what has happened right after I've spoken up!"

Spadamon could only think about the trouble it had ended up into. Oh well, if it had to be sincere with itself, its problems had begun back when it met Makoto in another luxuriant zone in Digiworld.

Who knew where that kid was; who knew where Coronamon was, it couldn't stop wondering, occasionally looking at the shadowy horizon that was so near to it.

It wasn't that it was afraid of the forest: Spadamon was a Digimon, it could easily rely on its strength, but the truth was that he couldn't do anything without Makoto, indeed, a human anymore, like if it had lost its ancestral instinct.

Unfortunately, its courage and determination had faded because of the fact Yang seemed to have fallen into a state of trance; maybe, he hadn't even realized what had just really happened, Spadamon reasoned.

However, Yang wasn't his only hope , but he was the hope, the one that could solve the whole mess they had created. Jenrya Lee wanted them to carry out that mission together, right? Even if he was really worried about the possible complications, Spadamon could clearly remember that what had pushed the man to accept to send the kids to Digiworld was the wish that the boys could finally learn how to collaborate.

The Digimon soon understood it had to try thinking and acting like the two tamers would. It realized to have made a mistake: it didn't have to view the whole matter in the way a Digimon would.

"Why were you two appointed this mission?" The digital lion hastily asked, starting noticing its fur had become hispid because of the fear it had started feeling: Makoto might fall into some kind of danger at any moment.

"Hm, Lee-San told us lots of Digimon have been strangely disappearing, according to what Shibumi-San's computer detected some days ago. Therefore, we are supposed to inspect this zone, helping Hypnos find some datas or some Digimon acting in a weird way," Probably, he had learnt to heart Jenrya's whole speech, since he had just used japanese terms he wasn't so acquainted with. "Maybe, it-it was an impossible mission for us from the very beginning...", he eventually lowered his head once more.

"We do know about that well, but what are you two supposed to do right now?" Spadamon insisted, revealing how wise it is.

"Hm, we are supposed to work together," The child bit his lips, still feeling the urge to tell Makoto about his newborn realizations. "Spadamon, I think we have already failed this mission."

The Digimon weakly grabbed the fabric of his jeans, holding onto the hope it was about to accomplish its goal. Somehow, now it could really pity Jenrya Lee and Takato Matsuda, since they always had to deal with such tough kids.

"No,no, what are you talking about? There's still so much time to make this opearation a success! Nevertheless, we need you two to meet again!"

"We will fight again..."

"What would you do, if right now Makoto and Coronamon were in a real serious danger? Would you be able to forgive yourself?! Yang..."

Spadamon had let its claws go out: its nervousnees had reached the limit. It looked at how Yang's dark eyebrows twitched and his expression shifted from a scared one to a doubtful one.

"I'll..." He covered his mouth with his hands. "I'll go looking for them."

Now Spadamon's claws were almost ripping the fabric of Yang's jeans, as the creature was pulling it in order to push the boy to stand up.

"See? You're a good child, a very good child!" It giggled, startling Yang with the sword it moved back and forth to celebrate its little victory. "Those two shouldn't be so far. Let's go!"

It jumped on Yang's head, making the child let out a little shriek.

"Do you-can you remember our people detector can't work here?"

"You'll just have to walk and let me see our surroundings from the top of your head."

"After doing this...?"

"Leave everything to my developed five senses!"

Yang sighed, feeling like if he had become a sort of controlled baot, but he endured, since he knew he had accepted to do that for Makoto and Coronamon's sake, only for their sake...So he could tell Makoto about those feelings of his. This is why he didn't dare to ask Spadamon why it needed him so much; he didn't even find heart to tell the Digimon about how much it sounded as wise as Jenrya Lee.

XXX

"If you want to come back, I won't care."

"You must be joking! I'm not a coward just like those other two!"

Makoto stopped in front of a slope: finally, he could see something that was different from a series of high trees or scattered bushes.

"I thought this forest looked as lame as the route Uncle Jen traced for us. Instead, it looks like if at the top of this mound there is something," He slightly closed his lids, attempting to understand what the strange object he had just spotted could be. Then, he abruptly opened his eyes, surprised. "That thing is shining! They may be datas!"

Makoto prepared himself to the brief climb: he took his coat off and scrolled his white shirt's sleeves.

"Mako!" He heard the Digimon shouting behind him. "I want to climb it too!"

It had finally woken up by that doubtful state it had fallen into, but it couldn't keep itself from looking back at the darkeness of the forest they had just got out of. It was usually a Digimon that had an explosive personality; yet, it had never parted from its Tamer for so much time, even if it often stated it wished to do that.

"If they are datas, we will receive so many compliments by Uncle Jen and Masahiko, by Sakuya-San too! No, no, everyone will commend and consider us as great Hypnos agents!"

Coronamon energetically nodded, before sprinting next to Makoto, who was trying to reach a little protruding rock. He had used the napkins, which his mother had given him before he left, in order to plug the radio transmitter's microphone.

"Wah!" He exclaimed, when he disastrously slipped and fell onto the ground.

"Uhm, pathetic, Makoto!" Coronamon laughed, landing on the ground with grace. "You're not an athletic type, aren't you?" It kept on laughing until Makoto's hand reached its throat, "Ohi, I'm not Yang! I'm not!"

"Then, shut up!" He aggresively hissed, standing up and jumping onto the little hill again.

"Obviously, you fell once more," Coronamon pointed out, when the child heavily sighed, looking at the canopies of the giant trees that almost seemed to mock him due to the series of his failures.

"I don't want to give up!" He groaned, slamming his punch on the ground. "Stupid mound!"

"Stupid body of yours...Would you hang me, if I said Yang is far more skilled than you? He would climb it in a blink of an eye."

At the sound of that name Makoto evidently frowned, thinking about the fact he had even abandoned Spadamon.

He shook his head, "Why don't you digievolve, then? You don't need digivices here! You could take me up there with your huge lion form!"

The digital creature instensely stared at the top of the hill, realizing it could reach the top even with its normal form.

"What if I got the datas for you?" It innocently asked Makoto, even if it wasn't so sure about the offer. It was blatant he wanted to carry out that final task all alone.

"A Hypnos agent like me can't be stopped by such a climb! I will try again!"

Makoto seemed to concentrate himself more than usual, as he raised his arms to touch that rock for the nth time.

"C'mon, c'mon, Mako!" He told himself, his tongue hanging out because of the effort.

The fact that he really managed to reach the rock surprised Coronamon, but, like if it had ended up in a loop, it had started looking back at the darker part of the forest again. Maybe, it hadn't been the greatest idea the Digimon thought it would be.

Actually, it confirmed that realization at the sight of Makoto desperately grabbing onto another rock, which was a bit higer than the previous one.

"How is it possible...I turned my head for a second and-" It frantically began moving his head, focusing on looking for a way to solve that trouble. "And because of some stupid datas!" Oh, it was acting like Lunamon.

"Coronamon, you damned Digimon. Stop complaining and babbling, and help me not break a leg of mine!"

Surely, it had to stop thinking about how Makoto had reached that part of the mound, but what could it do? If it used that flame attack of his, it would ignite a sort of bomb.

"Coronamon!" Makoto shouted again, showing his teeth like a rabid dog, and the Digimon also realized how useful to collaborate with Spadamon and Yang would have been in that moment. "Coronamon, I swear that, if you don't move your butt, I'll use the leg that will remain healthy to hit your empty head! Do something, please! Do something!"

Makoto noticed his hands were getting too sweaty for them to endure and prevent him from falling. Spadamon would have surely helped him out and found a quick solution; it was true it would have scolded him, but, at least, he would have been safe and sound. Yang could also have lent them a hand, if he had been there.

"Ok, ok, I'm using Holy Shoot. I'm using it, ok, be ready, Makoto! Don't tell Yang, though!"

Coronamon closed his eyes, as a huge ball of light started developing between his paws. It was like if time had stopped, which was what seemed to happen whenever he used that attack. It could also hear hurried footsteps behind its back, but it may have only been its imagination.

"Stupid, no!" There was a shout its ears couldn't totally define, since its surroundings had already got a colour which was similar to the one the Sun's crown had.

Everytime it would look like if the end of the world was about to happen. Coronamon would always shut its little eyes because of the terror, which that day was emphasized by the many voices he could hear around itself.

It kept on pressing its muzzle with its puffy paws, until the ruckus and the explosion made way for a huge amount of smoke, which continuously aimed to the sky, forming a sort of intangible dome.

"Makoto! How are you?! Are you safe!?" It wheezed, wincing when it saw Spadamon had used its supersized sword to cushion Makoto's fall.

It also noticed a pair of warm hands were hugging its tummy. Still, Coronamon immediately understood it wasn't affectionaltely being hugged; no, its tamer was mad, very mad, even if he was a quiet boy and had never managed to scare it with his scoldings.

A few metres away Makoto hardly brought himself to stand up, blinking at the sight of his Digimon and his...Partner, even if he didn't really like considering him as such.

"But when did you two-", He stuttered, fighting against the jelousy he felt, knowing his Digimon had been with someone else for all that time.

"Do not understimate my sixth sense, Mako! I can smell trouble, whenever you are nearby!"

He huffed and crossed his arms, wondering why fate had decided they would come right when he was about to lose a leg of his.

Spadamon put its paws on the hips firstly glancing at Makoto, then at Coronamon that was apologizing to a very upset Yang, trying to avoid meeting the other Digimon's gaze.

"You do know you have made a mess!" The digital blue lion growled, "What did you intend to do with that Holy shoot? Did you want to become a Sunmon again?! You know it's very dangerous!"

"I intended to make Makoto fly...Or jump...And land onto some kind of tree."

In the distance Makoto sniggered, sitting on a rock that had rolled down the mound during the blast; who knows if it was that infamous rock itself.

Nevertheless, his grin soon faded because of a certain dark-haired boy.

"Mako, how are you?! Are you hurt?"

"Why should I be? I'm not called Yang Wen! And why are you two here?! Didn't you want to follow Jenrya Lee's safe route like two obedient soldiers?!"

He jostled Yang to make him understand he didn't want to have his body checked like some kind of weak girl; he would have only let Itsuki do that. Then, he began crawling in search of the datas he had attempted to reach before: they must have fallen along with me, he reasoned.

"B...But...", Yang stuttered in the meanwhile, being aware how important to ponder his words was in that situation, which is something his mother cared about so much: to ponder, it was still so difficult for him to understand it.

"What is it now?!" The other child snapped, frantically moving his hands on the ground.

"I thought it was wrong...We have to carry out this mission together: this is what Lee-San wants."

Another powerful jostle made Yang realize he was still too young and inexperienced to give every word the value it truly deserves.

"Jenrya Lee! Jenrya Lee! Jenrya Lee said this and that! You can only talk about him because you are too coward to make decisions by yourself. You need stupid rules to help you feel protected. You're so lame!"

How could it be possible that they had unavoidably to end up in a fight?, Yang wondered, looking upside down at Coronamon and Spadamon who were arguing too.

Instead, Makoto could only think about how unfair was the fact that he had been given such a spinlees and upsetting partner. While he was giving and receiving punches, he asked himself how they could truly become the best Hypnos agents that had ever existed. It pissed him so much, which is the reason why his punches became more and more vigorous, as that thought disentangled in his mind. He wished someday they could proudly stand in front of every Hypnos operator and receive an extremely important trophy, a reward they would get because of their excellent career. Makoto was aware it might be a very far day, but it had been his dream since his father showed him the Hypnos world for the first time.

The boy could clearly remember that he was only five years old and Jenrya needed to tell Takato about the updates regarding the Digitears. Makoto complained so much since he could imagine how bored he would become, while he would have to wait for his father and the other adult to stop discussing. On the contrary, he surprisingly found himself to be drawn by Hypnos' environment, soon following every operator and agent who randomly walked past him. There were so many Digimon too, which is what confused him the most, since he was convinced Calumon and Guilmon were the only Digimon living in Tokyo. However, what Makoto would never forget was the rumble that after a while pushed him to try plugging his little ears. Suddenly, a huge amount of people gathered and surrounded three teenagers Makoto couldn't see well. He could remember everyone joyfully shouted, "They have made it!", "They are so amazing, there's no doubt!", "Long life to the Tear Jumpers!"

Makoto had never heard that word before, but that day the mere act of hearing it already brought along with itself a mystical meaning that was connected to Fate. He saw the trio parading among the crowd with singing, and he started waving his tiny hands to join the brief celebration too.

He was just a toddler, he felt like mentally underlining that once more, but he could swear he heard the bells of destiny merrily ringing, when one of them smiled and winked at him. Who knew who he was, he had never discovered his identity, but he could have never denied he wanted to meet that boy again to tell him that he had been informing himself about Tear Jumpers since that moment, until he truly became one of them...And he would never give up.

Who knows, maybe someday we could inspire some other kid too!, he smiled, despite the series of punches the two kids were sharing. Still, that unbridled brawl seemed to progressively quiet down, as the tallest Tear Jumper realized that dream didn't feature only himself into it anymore. When he dreamed about receiving that prize, he wasn't alone anymore: he was along with Itsuki and Yang, who stood next to him, strangely smiling at him as their efforts had been paid back.

"What the..." He whispered, stopping fighting, also because they weren't focused on doing that anymore.

"Mako...?" Yang bended his head, as he rubbed his sore arms. He didn't really intend to proceed in the conversation, since he had understood Mako and him couldn't communicate at all, just like his mother and father. Maybe, they should part from each other just like them, he bitterly considered.

"Just why do you always agree with Uncle Jen and never with me ?! It will bother me, whenever you do it, because I feel like you don't trust me at all!"

Everyone stayed in silence, after having heard such a sincere statement from the stubborn Makoto.

So, that was the problem again: the inability to communicate, and it was all Yang's fault, the chinese kid bit his lip, looking down at the mud. After all, it was like if Makoto lived in a world that was so different from his own: he was an obedient child, despite making his mother worry because of the way he rode his bike, while Makoto was a very naughty one; he was a bully, no doubts about that, rules didn't exist in his own universe as well as adults.

"Well, Lee-San...", Yang timidly spoke, being aware of the fact he didn't even know how to continue that conversation. He had too many things he wanted to tell Makoto about.

Still, there was no need for him to strive in order to find the right words, since a voice he knew well took over the tense atmosphere, pouring fear and anxiety into it.

The radiotransmitter! I had forgot about it! Where is it?!, Makoto started panicking, noticing the napkins had been incinearated during the explosion.

"My tamers has become such a star. I've heard his name so many times today!" Terriermon squeaked, before being scolded for the nth time that day.

"You two! You two rascals! What in the world are you doing? Why are you near to that marshy zone?! Remember we all are checking what you are doing, and I don't like what I'm seeing!"

Jenrya Lee's tone was peremptory and quite irritated, which pushed Yang and Makoto to shake like a bunch of autumnal leaves. Both looked at each other, as if they had become able to telepathically communicate, but the coconut coloured-haired boy completely ignored Yang's trembling dark eyes that seemed to want to keep him from doing something very silly like usual.

Leave it to me, Makoto's red eyes seemed to want to strangely reassure him and his Digimon, instead, before beginning ranting. At least, they looked like if they were getting along now due to some kind of magic spell.

"Did you really think we would follow that lame map of yours? Ah! Your only aim is to keep us with a leash just like two dogs, but we are in Digiworld now, we're kilometers and kilometers away from you! Moreover, how are we supposed to find Digimon's datas thieves in places that are out in the open? You'll also need intelligence, if you truly want to be a Tear Jumper!"

"Digimon's datas thieves? What...Oh, Dear Gods," Jenrya was exasperated and exhausted, mentally letting himself swear because of the mess that mission was. "You two, come back at once, I will repeat it again: come back at once."

Of course, Makoto replied with a resounding no, which made Yang and Spadamon gulp. Troubles never end when it comes to a couple of boys who have to collaborate, Spadamon winced.

A very brief moment of silence followed: maybe, Jenrya was passing a hand through his forehead and short hair, which was what both Yang and Makoto imagined he was doing.

"What am I supposed to do with you, tell me. Should I call your parents like a teacher would do? I'm not your teacher, though!"

Yeah, he had lost his patience, it was blantant.

"Why don't you force them to wash Hypnos headquarters' floors? I think they would enjoy-" A powerful pat on Terriermon's head could be heard: he couldn't stand Terriermon's silly ideas anymore either.

"Listen, kids, I know you hate adults' world, our world that's full of rules, but, when you find yourself to be an adult, you'll understand there is a reason behind those rules."

"Being older is a pain," Makoto complained. "You receive a brain washing at a certain point, don't you? You were just like us. If you are really that worried, tell us what there is over there, in that swamp."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know exactly what there is either," Another second of silence held a lot of pathos. "The truth is that I should have never obeyed those orders and sent you there. I'm the only one to blame, but, please, come home."

Lee's demolished and weird tone made Makoto frown evidently, feeling a sort of emotional connection with the man's mood. Yang also felt something was off with the man as well as Makoto: the child's hand was evidently shaking as Makoto's mouth slightly trembled due to the hard choice he had found himself to make.

"Would we still be considered Tear Jumpers, if we waved the white flag? Wouldn't we be judged as cowards?" Makoto asked, his kind, pitiful and judicious side had finally come out.

However -Spadamon has already said this - troubles seem to never end for the boys.

"What the hell, the wind?"

A sort of whirlwind suddenly engulfed them, forcing them to close their eyes. When Makoto opened them again, he couldn't help but notice the radiotransmitter wasn't in his hand anymore. He looked at his bare rose palm and both Yang and Makoto froze.

"Do you like my Digimon, boy? I've trained her so constantly she has really become as fast as the wind."

"Of course, my Jolie is equally impressive! Do not ignore her like always!"

The children brought themselves to raise their head, trying to understand where those perky and determined voices came from until...They spotted them: a couple of girls proudly standing on the top of the collapsed mound, obscured by the digital redwood trees' penumbra. Neither Makoto nor Yang could clearly see their faces but there were two features of those strangers that immediately stood out despite the darkness: one of them, the tallest, had a cascade of lustrous hair gracefully falling on her back; the second one, the shortest, had a pair of eyes that seemed to be able to shine in the distance like a sort of lynx.

After having blinked for a certain amount of times at the sight of those girls, Makoto gained his senses again.

"Who are you?" He inquired, aggressiveness laced with his voice.

"Oh no no, what matters the most is who you two are," The long-haired one politely yet suspicously spoke.

Then, in a blink of an eye, something that was as candid as the snow nimbly climbed on her body, reaching her shoulder.

"Oh, let's see what we have got here," She commented, getting far from the shadowed zone, so she could examine the device better.

Needless to say even Makoto gulped, when he noticed what she was halding was their radiotransmitter; he could hear a huge ruckus coming from it: probably, the Hyonos operators were attempting to figure out what was going on.

"You!" Makoto barked at her. "That's our radiotransmitter!"

"Radio-?" The other one slowly said that word, like if she had never heard it before.

"Suspicious, right, Mihoshi?"

"May it be...?"

Makoto, whose rage was hardly suppressed by Yang and Spadamon who were hardly holding some parts of his body, followed the girl who had been just called Mihoshi with his gaze. She decided to approach her companion and leave the faint blackness, revealing her too long brown jacket, one of those who usually wore those fictional detectives Makoto often saw in Tv.

"You-you-you are Digimon thieves, aren't you?!" Finally, the Chinese boy pointed at them, while he was hugging Coronamon more because he was scared of that weird situation than he was afraid of having his partner stolen.

Still, his question was greeted by a swarm of laughters.

"Digimon thieves, what are they? What are you speaking about, short boy?"

They kept on laughing at Yang, sounding like two unbearable aristocratic women belonging to the Victorian age. However, Mihoshi abruptly stopped, turning her laughters into a serious and concentrated face, inspecting the technological device.

"May it be that you used this...This...Yeah, this thing to make that explosion? You wanted to scare or kill Digimon, didn't you?!"

Somehow Makoto felt embarassed at her statement, since it sounded so naive it was hard for him not to laugh. He looked at Yang to mock them along with him, but he was too ashamed to do something like that.

"Hey, you girl." The coconut coloured-haired boy began.

"Are you telling me?" Mihoshi pressed a hand on her chest, also showing her fingerless gloves.

"Yes, yes, you Mi-hoshi, it's your name, isn't it?"

"What's wrong with my name?! It isn't pronounced in that way!" Apparently, she was a quite belligerent girl, which was something you wouldn't expect by judging from her stature and pretty childish look. Her fists had alreaady formed a punch.

"Well, you know, I have never heard such a name, but I didn't want to tell you about how fairy-like and sappy your name sounds," He took a deep breath, looking at Yang and Spadamon again beckoning to him, trying convincing him he was acting as a very rude person.

Still, he didn't care. "Is it true you have never seen a radiotransmitter? Like, you have never seen people using it in TV, in spies Tv series?"

Mihoshi's expression was completely lost in Makoto's words. Therefore, she turned her head to her companion.

"Ran!" She called, "What is this guy talking about?"

Ran shook her head, making her gorgeous hair mildly bounce. Her digimon, which looked like a furret, bended its head in confusion.

Mihoshi put her hand under her chin, deeply thinking about Makoto's words.

"I got it, Ran!" Makoto saw a sort of smile on her face, but he couldn't let himself be surprised, as the dark-haired girl pointed at him, just like he had done some minutes before. "You two have been using a coded language since you are here! But you won't fool us!" Another exaggeratedly focused expression appeared on her face.

"Before you spit bullshit again...You know, a radiotransmitter is used by people to communicate despite a very long distance," He was talking to her in a very presumptuous way, which was something that was concerning Yang and Spadamon: who knew how those two could react! "And it's this buddy here that generated that explosion, it can't control its attacks!" He picked an unusual frightened Coronamon, so they could see the Digimon properly.

"Mako..." The chinese boy began, but he cut him off with a mere gesture that made him understand there was no need to worry.

On the top of the mound, Ran inspected the radiotransmitter once more, repeatedly moving it in her hands and hearing some voices coming out of it.

"So, this thing isn't a bomb. I see! We may have barked up the wrong tree," She shyly giggled, rubbing her partner's candid fur. The long-haired girl seemed to be calmer and more collected than her companion.

Actually, in the meanwhile Mihoshi had literally started fuming: she had been implicitly defined as an ignorant, an illiterate by that hoodoo.

Therefore, she snapped at Ran out of irritation.

"You're always easily deceived, Ran. Do you trust these two?! We have never seen them! I can't remember Ryou has ever told us about other children in Digiworld."

"But, Mihoshi, look at them: they don't seem dangerous people. Look at how chubby the first one's cheeks are or how scared the other one seems: he may get a heartattack at any moment."

Obviously, those comments weren't so appreciated by the two boys, who stared at each other, confused.

Mihoshi snarled, looking at them with those piercing orbs of hers.

"I don't trust you! We don't even know who you are. This is why I won't believe you."

She grabbed the radiotransmitter and threw it in the air.

"Mihoshi, geez, wait!" Ran covered her mouth with a hand as the shorter girl stepped on the technological device in the attempt to destroy it with her commando boots.

When she stopped, the atmosphere had become extremely tense it was like if air itself had taken a solid form: everyone could swear it had become a burden that was constantly pressing itself on their shoulders. Nobody could find enough courage to bring themselves to talk; only Digiworld's nature kept on peacefully singing and dancing with its carefree wind.

No voice came out from the radiotransmitter anymore, there was only a silence that was gradually freezing Makoto and Yang's soul.

"That was...The only way to be in contact with our home! How are we supposed to go back home now?!" Yang shouted, feeling his legs shake.

On the other hand, Makoto kept his head raised, electrocuting the two girls with his bubbling eyes.

" I will destroy you and never, never and never forgive you! Spadamon!" He called his partner that agreed with him, at least once.

It prepared its sword, hoping Coronamon wouldn't join the battle, and began picking up speed, its sword getting bigger in the process: it needed to be extremely fast to jump and quickly reach the top of the mound.

"Mako! I need more speed!" It shouted, noticing the two girls weren't trying to escape.

Makoto frantically scrolled the card gallery of his digivice, realizing with horror it had no card that could help his Digimon increase its speed.

"Crap," He whined, but he genuinely smile when a red digivice approached his blue one.

"I'm sending you mine," Yang told him, he strangely seemed determined. Fortunately, new Digivices had a sort of Bluetooth system, both thought at the same time, as the card's effect made Spadamon run like an arrow driven by the wind's strenght.

"W-wait, Mako! Do you intend to attack her?!"

"Yes, I do. She has got no Digimon, either."

He was convinced about that statement, but his plan failed, after a bunch of leaves gently feel from a tree, revealing another Digimon he had never seen before. Indeed, he had seen such a Digimon for so many time but not in that variant.

"Mihoshi, they have got a Digivice," Ran sounded almost surprised. "Who could they be?"

Mihoshi growled for the nth time, hatred filling her heart. She had a bad hunch, a very bad one.

"Jolie!" She called her Digimon. "Do not spare Spadamon."

The Digimon, a Black Gatomon, obediently listened to the girl.

"My claws are sharpier than that sword," She maliciously sniggered, fighting against the weapon with her own claws, which truly revealead themselves to be extremely resistant against Spadamon's sword.

"This isn't possible," Makoto blinked, looking at Spadamon being pushed to the edge of the mound's top. It would soon fall, despite every kind of attack it was using.

He decided to use a card that could increase its strength too, but apparently that wasn't his lucky day.

"This battle is so boring," Mihoshi pretended to yawn, holding her bordeaux digivice, seeing Spadamon's sword getting even bigger than what it was a moment before. Nothing could beat Jolie's Lightining Paw, but Mihoshi knew she had to hit Spadamon with a decisive attack: the Digimon had to be distracted in some kind of way.

"Cleo!" Ran turned to her Kodamon, as if she could read Mihoshi's mind. "Please, use Zekkō Shō!"

Both Yang and Makoto bended their head at the sound of that very strange name; even Spadamon had never heard it before.

"We're even," Kudamon said.

"Right, Cleo. We didn't know about a radiotransmitter, they don't know about Zekkō Shō."

In a blink of an eye, a bolt of lighting blinded Spadamon: it couldn't see Jolie jumping and avoiding that attack as well as using her Cat Tail.

"Spadamon!" Makoto reached his Digimon that was completely exhausted, full of scratches. The child was losing his temper.

"Do you know what your problem is?" Ran petted her Digimon. "You two do not collaborate at all. Look at your friend!"

"Can he only send you cards?" Mihoshi laughed, and Makoto felt embarassed, which was very rare. "So, what are you doing now? Will you escape?"

"No...I'm-I'm the next one you will fight against!"

Makoto didn't hide his disbelief at the sight of a trembling Yang, clenching his fists with anger.

"And," The child continued. "It won't even be a battle. It-it will be a very quick one!"

Makoto's eyes shone with rage.

"Are you idiot?! Have you hit your head?!" He grabbed his thin shoulders. "Do you want us to blow off again?!"

"Yang, you have gone crazy!" Coronamon complained too, refusing to use that attack for the second time.

"Stay still. I'll use one of your recover cards!" Makoto pressed.

Nevertheless, Yang found heart to grab Mako's hand.

"We have got no diplomacy at all. Lee-Kun...Would have helped us go out of this trouble quickly." His black eyes avoided the other boy's gaze. "Still, Mako, even if we fight almost every minute, I want to be your partner and help you. I want to learn how to properly collaborate with you and improve and grow up every day along with you, even during fights!

Makoto winced, it seemed a cheap confession of those lame soap operas, but, in truth, he was feeling content in his soul.

"Spadamon, I said it! I-I haven't stuttered, either," Yang excitedly exclaimed, turning his head to Spadamon that was lying among Makoto's arms.

"It was because you held those words dearly in your heart..." The Digimon weakly replied.

"I think we have waited too much time," Mihoshi ruined that moment with her impatient voice. "Jolie, do you want to do the honours?"

The digital cat prepared her long claws again, running towards Coronamon.

"Coronamon!" Yang shouted. "Do it!"

"I don't want to! I have got many other attacks! Moreover, you scolded me before..."

"Other attacks won't work against that," The Digimon still refused to obey. "Ohi, Coronamon, I'm your Tamer, do-do what you're told! Aren't we Tear Jumpers like Mako and Spadamon?!"

"Fine. Do not say I had warned you."

The Digimon rubbed its eyes, looking at Jolie's claws that were very close to its body; the digital lion prepared to give birth to the World's end.

Mihoshi and Ran's words were caught up in the fire and in the rocks that lashed out against their skin.

"They're Tear Jumpers".

"They're the Young Tear Jumpers".

XXX

A slender and athletic man let a sigh of relief come out of his mouth, as the light of the Sun finally greeted his blue eyes.

I remembered only New York had such long and dark alleys. Has Shinjuku had so many ones since I was a child?

After having completely gone out of the alley, he absorbed every detail of his surroundings in his mind.

Tokyo, Shinjuku, sunny and peaceful just like the old times, he told himself, not managing to keep his mouth from sagging into a quite sad expression, because Shinjuku held some unhappy memories in the mists of time and his own life.

Coming to Tokyo was never a pleasure to Ryou Akiyama. Everything that was around him screamed the word past, and Ryou didn't absolutely want to think about past so much: he liked going forward, looking at the future he was meant to meet. Past wasn't a word that appeared in his vocabulary. Therefore, he liked his different jobs, if they could be called like that: they always took him far away from his previous life, from his mistakes; after all, there wasn't enough time for him to think about those, to wonder what his life would have been like, if he had acted in a different way. Some times he would be sent to Paris, others to Seoul...Those danger that made the Digimon Soveireigns worried might be everywhere, and he never complained, no matter what zone of the world he would have to go to: he knew everday he would be taken further and further away from what he wanted to avoid.

At least, that was what he believed. Actually, lately his escape -he didn't like defining it in such a way, though- had been turning into some kind of circle.

And there he was again, in Shinjuku, like if he had been cursed by a sort of tide that would get him back wherever he was.

"And it's all because of those two," He muttered, waiting for the lights to turn green.

Still, can I really blame them?, He asked himself.

This time they had been given an unbearable mission, a task they could have never managed to carry out, and he was the only one to blame, since once more he had pretended to believe they had no feelings, they weren't human. Those were the Digimon Soveiregners' words, the description they had pronounced to delineate those nuggets (they were nuggets back then, as far as concerned his memories).

Ryou had decided to be so presumptuous to state he was the only one who knew them the most, and he was convinced it was true.

He quickly crossed the road and found himself in front of the Shinjuku Park, another pit of recollections he didn't want to pass through again.

"Damn it. Where the hell is the Hypnos building?" He swore, before his gaze met an adorable couple of a father and a daughter taking a walk together.

"Daddy, are you listening to me?" The girl sweetly tugged at her father's blue montgomery. "You're always on the phone today! Even while I was skating, you weren't paying attention to me! You also went pale for a second...And got angry."

The man replied to the child with a nervous smile, "I'm sorry, Honey, but we are in the middle of an operation and I entrusted it to Masahiko. Could you forgive Daddy, It-Chan?"

The girl, who reminded Ryou of someone, happily nodded, laughing at every expression his father got while he was reading the messages he had received.

"Oh, Dear," Ryou heard him saying. Was the man mad?, he asked himself, his blue orbs lying on the girl and her little ponytail, which swayed up and down as she walked.

"Daddy," She tugged at his coat again. "Today nobody is paying me attention. Yang and Makoto won't text me back and hang out with me, even if we are during our break! What if we won't get to always play and stay together, when middle school begins?"

Another weird expression appeared on the man's tanned face, a mix of guilt and tenderness, which pushed him to put a hand on his daughter's hand.

It was such a heartwarming scene, Ryou thought, his mind gradually shifting to his...How should he define them? Despite his job, he could understand that man would be able to do everything for his daughter; he just could feel so much love in the couple's words.

He would do everything for them too, of course. That was the reason why he had forced himself to go to Shinjuku: if they intended to find those three, they would...Probably put an end to their purpose and ,somehow, he could have never imagined such a life anymore.

Unconsciously, he kept on following the pair smiling at each other until the man's phone brought him back to reality, as well as the meeting that happened between the man's grey wise eyes and his sea-coloured ones.

Shit, he had just realized he could seem creepy to other people.

"Daddy, do you have to go back to Hyonos! Please, go, if you have to. We'll stay together tomorrow," The girl innocently said, but her father's answer was represented by one of his arms encircling her shoulders as if he wanted to protect her.

Nevertheless, Ryou got surprised at the sight of a polite and warm smile.

"May I help you, Sir?"

He had just heard the word Hypnos, hadn't he?

"Well, I was looking for the Hypnos building. I need to ask them about an important matter...For me, at least."

The man's face assumed a suspicious expression for a second, before getting to know about Ryou's identity.

"Akiyama Ryou? Wait, that Ryou?"

He bended his head in confusion, getting startled when the man grabbed and shook his hand.

"Where have you been? Don't you remember about me? I'm Jenrya Lee."

Ryou awkwardly grinned, which would have been an exception for his younger self.

"Wow, Jen, you've got so old. Those glasses, the short hair..." He had decided to grow his a bit, instead.

Everything had been explained, Ryou stared at Itsuki: that girl looked like Ruki because she was Ruki's daughter, a more joyful version of her, though.

"It-Chan, this is Ryou. He's a Digimon Tamer like us all."

"Nice to meet ya! My name is Itsuki!" She chirped, waving her long striped sleeve.

She had a pair of two adorable eyes.

And to think she could have been my daughter, he melancholically let himself think for a second.

"Ryou, you disappeared some years ago. You used to work for a Hypnos organization in Japan, but you left it and cancelled your presence from this world. What happened over there?"

He kept on staring at Itsuki, "I just realized Digiworld is where I truly want to stay."

Jenrya solemnly nodded, making Ryou quite irritated in his soul: what did he have Ryou didn't have at Ruki's eyes? Mistakes are part of being human.

"Regardless, what did you need from Hypnos?"

"You see..."

The fear of being too late was almost taking his breath away.

XXX

Makoto spat the granules of rocks that had entered his mouth during the explosion, coughing because of how disgusted he was feeling.

"What an idiot, really," He told Yang, who was trying sitting and opening his dark orbs.

"W-well, I've interrupted the battle, at least".

Now Ran and Mihoshi lied closer to them than before, their clothes were engulfed by dust.

Ran immediately got rid of the dust that was on her long flowery skirt and rubbed her partner's fur.

"So, you are the Tear Jumpers, the Young Tear Jumpers. We didn't expect to find you here. I guess we have been lucky, right, Miho? We also imagined you were valid opponents."

The two of them laughed together once more, occasionally coughing like Makoto because of the dust that infiltrated in their mouths.

"You two are embarassing," Mihoshi stood up. "But you are two troublemakers too. You can't imagine how much we hate you."

Yang gulped evidently, while Makoto copied Mihoshi and stood up like her.

"Why do you hate us?! You're the ones who destroyed our radiotransmitter! You're completely crazy. Girls!" And he slightly pushed Yang's elbow with his to make him join his laughters.

"Ah! Do you find the whole topic funny, brain-dead?" Mihoshi marched towards them like a puma, her violet eyes were completely visible now. "We wanted to come visiting you to Shinjuku, because you have to pay for what you've been doing for a year!" Her orbs were mismerizing, a dark shade that could shine even in the most obscure night.

She grabbed her digivice and let something long come out of it.

"A whip!" Yang was already covering his head with his arms. "Makoto! She has got a whip!"

However, Makoto didn't move but stayed still, holding Spadamon that had fallen into a peaceful slumber.

"We have been using this whip for years! This is our job, but now we have found ouselves using it on someone we would never want to hurt."

She was extremely short, but Makoto could see a lot of strength in those eyes. They were able to terrorize him, his heart beating very fast, his legs and arms shaking due to an intangible, almost psychic power.

"You aren't human," He muttered, those eyes ensnaring him even more than before.

"I bet we're more human than you two!"

Mihoshi parted from him and approached Ran.

"There's something off..." Yang whispered to Makoto.

"Totally," He turned to Yang, still feeling his mind cloudy. "What would It-Chan do in such a situation? Tell me."

The Chinese boy didn't have to think twice before replying to him, "She...Would talk to them."

"They don't seem to like talking so much...But we'll have to try."

Makoto and Yang cautiously got closer to the girls, who seemed to be lost in thoughts.

"Could we get to know what's happening here and who you two are?!"

The tone wasn't the most diplomatic one Yang had ever heard, but it was fine, since the girls accepted to explain the whole matter. Their angry faces would never fade, though.

"You two have been sending here Digimon that are ill," Ran started. "Some time ago Ryou-San noticed a weird behaviour in lots of Digimon, even those ones we would play with sometimes."

"Strange behaviour...Like what?" Yang quietly asked the tall girl, who seemed to have become calmer than Mihoshi. Actually, the latter was alert like a cat rippling its fur.

"You see, we have obserbed the effects are different. We don't know on what they may depend, but they could make a Digimon more aggressive than what it usually is."

"Uhm, the worst thing is that other Digimon may be affected by it," Mihoshi added, touching her red ribbon.

"You see, my Cleo was once hurt by an ill Palmon, which are usually docile Digimon. She hurt her paw and risked to be affected by it," She showed the Kudamon's paw that still presented a scar: it concerned Ran even after such a long time.

"I'm fine, Ran," Cleo hugged her.

Yang and Makoto looked at each other without saying anything. They were shaken by getting to know those dynamics.

"But why do you hate us?" Makoto abandoned his temporary dark mood. "I can understand Digi-Tears have been giving you troubles, but, you know, there are so many Digimon Tear Jumpers over there! We're not the only ones!"

Both Ran and Mihoshi lowered her heads, hugging their Digimon tightly.

"It's because of Clockmon," Mihoshi breathed and raised her voice, looking straight into Makoto's eyes. "We do know you were the ones who sent our Clockmon to Digiworld through a Digitear!"

Her words reminded Makoto of a cloudy day in which he and Itsuki ended up meeting their parents' younger selves.

"Are you referring to that day...? But I have nothing to do with it! I waited for-"

Makoto pressed his hand against Yang's mouth.

"Do you want to be punched right in the nose?! What about the whole talking about being my partner?!"

"You have ruined our Clockmon," Mihoshi continued, ignoring their brief tiff. "We all have been living with it on in the cloudy area for years. We have been playing with it since we were little. Ryou has known it since he was a child too. He was our only friend but now...We have been ordered to get rid of it, since it isn't only attacking other Digimon, but it may also damage the flow of Digiworld's time".

Makoto and Yang's minds became blank for a while.

"Getting...Rid...Of?" Makoto stuttered, which was unusual.

"It means we'll have to kill him," Ran answered and both the boys sat down on the mud, distraught.

"Uncle Jen perfectly knew Digimon have been killed."

"But...He preferred hiding this detail because he didn't want us to know...About it."

They couldn't find the courage to raise their heads.

"Now you don't laugh anymore, do you?"

The black-haired girl stuck her tongue out, she had still a shadow outshining her face and her eyes.

"How could we laugh after having heard something so depressing?" It was the first time Coronamon and Yang saw Makoto in such a serious and sad mood. Despite how tough he might be, Makoto had a huge heart. Probably, he was also slowly realizing why Jenrya had acted in a weird way about that operation. "Digimon haven't been being stolen. They have been being ki...Killed".

His gaze lied on Spadamon that still was sleeping, unaware of what they had just heard. If he found himself having to lose Spadamon, what would he do?

Those girls were an unbearable pair, but there was so much sufferering into their soul, an endless one they had managed to hide for who knows how much time. Furthermore, who could they tell about such a pain? They were all alone, Makoto concluded, and he couldn't help but push aside his hatred for the first impression he had had of them and admire those two.

"Ohi, you two, are you still there?" Ran waved one of her pale hands, staring at the pair that had fallen into a state of gloomy silence. "We are the ones who have to kill him, not you two. You don't know him either".

"This is stupid," Mihoshi put her hands on her hips, but she got startled at Makoto abruptly lifting his head and showing her a fierceness she had never seen in someone's eyes. Still, everything was in contrast with his messy locks, the girl mentally noted.

"The problem shouldn't be solved by only you two, but we are involeved into it too. So, please, let us help you."

"Mako..." Yang opened his mouth in disbelief, the reaction that could be read in the girls' gestures too.

"Do you want to kill Clockmon along with us?!" Mihoshi pointed at them as if they were two crazy people.

"Even though we destroyed your radiotransmitter before?"

Makoto nodded.

"Even though we laughed at you?"

Makoto nodded again, energetically.

"Even though we hurt your Digimon like that?"

He stood up grabbing and shaking Mihoshi's finger, "Of course, you'll have to pay us back for everything you've done so far! However, now we have got a mission to carry out. Yang agrees with me too, doesn't he?"

The chinese boy touched his red hoody as if he needed a bit of comfort and stability.

"Y...Yes," He clenched his fists and jaw. In truth, he would have liked to run away and stick himself under his blanket. Nevertheless, he had made a promise he wanted to keep with all his might.

"Then, you two, guide us!" Makoto encouraged, encircling Yang's neck with an arm of his and dragging him to who knows where.

"Wait! We have to use our Digivices!" Mihoshi called them, but Makoto had begun an unstoppable march.

The girls shared a quick glance that was filled with complicity.

"Boys are mysterious living beings".

XXX

"Why don't you look perturbed at all?"

"I understood what is happening two months ago. I just did not want to spread a hypothesis of mine that could reveal itself to be erroneous without having any kind of proof."

Ryou raised his eyebrow at that statement, his body reflected on the elevator's crystalline glass. Obviously, the headquarters had to be situated on the last floor.

Jenrya had told him about what he didn't want to hear: they weren't in the Hypnos building. Nevertheless, he had attempted to reassure him by taking him to the headquarters: the man claimed that there they had special technological devices that could track people thanks to their Digivices. However, he confessed him he didn't think those computer programs would be necessary that time.

That man was making him confused, but the truth was that he was too focused on two certain girls.

What if he was too late...?

"Are you worried about them?" Jenrya asked him, turning to his interlocutor with one of his warm smiles. Ryou had only been staring at a tense expression since he had sent little Itsuki home, probably into her mother's, Ruki's arms; another wave of jelousy hit him, but he convinced himself he had no time to think about those trifles.

Jenrya took a card from his pocket and used it to open one of the headquarters' doors.

"Safety first," The blue-eyed man sarcastically said, taking in consideration how many sort of customs they had crossed before finally reaching the headquarters. Still, Ryou knew everything about Hypnos' secrets as well as other organizations' that dealed with the digital world. They really believed they could run from the Digimon Sovereigns' perpetual control.

They suddenly ran into a young man who looked extremely nervous. He didn't know where to put his hands: in his pockets, on his spiky hair, on his face.

"Senpai!" He shouted. "Senpai, they...The radiotransmitter has stopped receiving signals."

Jenrya sighed at the sight of Terriermon sitting on a desk and crunching a biscuit. He had sent his Digimon to Hyonos to warn Masahiko and help him, but, apparently, it hadn't contributed so much.

"I do know about everything," He tried sounding as calm as he could. "I wanted to talk to them and overlapped the two lines of communication."

"Their radiotransmitter seems to have been broken. Do you think they broke it?"

Jenrya couldn't deny he had lost his usual temper, when he realized the radiotransmitter had stopped working. He had been thinking about a way to punish those boys as they had really gone too far this time. Not to count in the previous days they had been fighting like a pair of savages in Hypnos' countryard; they surely were a form of enjoyment for those opearator who looked out the window, bored, but he couldn't help feeling embarassed about scenes like that.

Nevertheless, they weren't alone when the radiotrasmitter was destroyed.

"Did you hear some other voices?"

"They weren't so distinct, but there were voices who didn't belong to them or their Digimon."

"And," Jenrya looked back at Ryou who was carefully listening to the conversation and hadn't even been noticed by Masahiko. "They sounded like two girls' voices."

Ryou's orbs seemed to glow with hope, but they soon lost that sparkle.

"Does this mean they are with the Young Tear Jumpers?" He hadn't told Jenrya about his worst fear; he would have never showed him that side of his!

"Yes, they should be with our boys. We could check their presence with the Digivices detector," Masahiko proudly stated, before finally noticing Ryou's presence. "Has this man lost his daughters in Digiworld, Senpai?"

"In a certain sense," Jenrya shyly smiled, while Ryou merely crossed his arms, quite annoyed.

The young man hastily clicked an icon on one of their giant computers's desktop. He had a grin on his face, as he was really excited to show his skills that were quickly improving.

"They are here," He put his finger on the screen, indicating two yellow moving circles.

Jenrya used the mouse to click on the route the two circles were crossing, and a pile of photos appeared above a brief description.

"Look like they are heading to a cave," Jenrya zoomed on the photos.

"That's a cave in which there are waterfalls. The water is told to cure whatever illness you may have, even a broken heart."

"How do you know that?" Masahiko questioned, eager to know if that was true, but Ryou told him it was a fake legend.

"Why are they going there, though? Is there some kind of gate?" The grey-eyed man couldn't find any gate point on the map, and Ryou's fear grew even more. Did they really think they could kill them in a cave? He had never taught them to kill a human, and he didn't intend to do that.

"I have to go there," Ryou stated without hesitating.

"What do you mean you have to go there?" Masahiko looked at him with suspect.

"He lives in Digiworld," Jenrya explained. "But you can't go there all alone. There won't be Monodramon by your side, have you forgot? I can't see your Digimon anywhere."

" I left him at home, in case they come back home in the meanwhile. I must get there, let me pass!"

He was getting angry at the two other men, who were keeping on telling him they would send a special team to take everyone back.

"Let me go!" He shouted. They couldn't understand anything, they couldn't understand he was about to lose those two. He didn't care about the boys, but he needed to protect them from being killed.

"Here we have Ryou's heroic mania," Terriermon laughed, after having jumped on Masahiko's shoulder. "He will never change, won't he?"

Ryou would have liked to shout how much he hated Shinjuku in front of them, but, just when he was about to do that, a friendly hand touched his shoulder.

"Then, let me go with you. I intended to wait for them to be reached by a special team, but, even if they are two scoundrels, those boys are my responsabilty. Furthermore, don't forget I'm a father too."

Oh, how much he hated him too, bringing up his happiness so easily. However, they had wasted too much time, and he couldn't dwell on his hatred.

"Then, let's go!"

"Can I come with you too? It could be a constructive experience. I haven't been in Digiworld for a while!" Masahiko begged. "I can prepare a direct gate for us too!"

The two other men blinked at the joyful man: he probably had taken that personality after Juri.

Terriermon climbed on his head.

"Jen, Ryou has got boots he won't care, if they get wet, but you, my Tamer, you are wearing those embarassing shoes...What are they, mocassins? Do you really want to walk into the cave and wet the dear shoes you polish everyday?"

"Terriermon may be right," Ryou looked at Jen's almost pissed face.

"You know, it says that just because it has got a soft spot on Masahiko. If I gave it cakes everyday, it would even build a statue for me."

XXX

Mihoshi gave kicks in the water, accidentally splashing Ran's light brown hair and Cleo's tidy fur.

"Mihoshi! Don't you know how much time I spent brushing Cleo's fur and my hair yesterday night? Geez, Miho!"

"Don't look at me! I didn't want to splash you, but him!" Her look became pungent as she lied her finger on Makoto's chest, repeatedly pointing at him. "Stop playing with water! You're ruining my socks!"

"Why should I care about your socks?! I'm walking, it's normal to raise water!"

"Because they are a present Ryou bought me in Paris! You're so stupid."

Makoto was dying to start a brawl against her, but she was a girl and it was like if he began a fight against Itsuki.

"You-you always talk about this Ryou-San. Who is he?" Yang interrupted their fight, nimbly avoiding every puddle he met.

Mihoshi and Ran smiled at each other, their cheeks had assumed a reddish colour at the sound of that name.

"Of course, he's the coolest man in the world," Mihoshi replied, while Ran was jumping from a rock to the other one with graceful pirouettes.

"You two are nothing when compared to him. He has been training us for years! Right, Miho?"

And they began laughing together again.

"At least, they aren't sad anymore," Makoto tried easing his nerves, not hiding the huge wince that had slightly deformed his chubby cheeks.

"Yeah, I agree..." Yang giggled in response, enduring the pain he was feeling on his shoulder because of Coronamon's claws: it was afraid of water and didn't absolutely want to fall.

"Wait, Miho. Just keep quiet," Ran gently whispered. "We are at the cave's entrance."

"Are you sure?" Yang raised his eyebrows, before hearing the sound of a series cascades' water kindly falling.

"Yes, I am. You can hear the echo of the water."

They cautiously stepped further, darkness immediately engulfing them and...Making Makoto stumble.

"I told you about how stupid you are!"

"I didn't know you could see in the darkness like a lynx!"

Makoto refused Yang's hand that had been extended in order to help him stand up.

"I can feel the ground unlike you!"

Ran hissed in order to make them fall in silence, ordering Cleo to light up their surroundings with a bolt of lightining that was generated by one of the Digimon's earrings.

"You know, we need light like you, but we tend to be its shadows," Ran seemed to close her eyes to perceive the typical sound of the cascades better. "Moreover, we won't need Cleo's light anymore when we reach the heart of the cave."

"She is a bookworm, yeah," Mihoshi explained, sighing. "She often talks like a fortune teller."

Ran giggled, "Maybe I just like listening to Ryou's tales about his journeys, and they always reveal themselves to be true."

Makoto started panicking when Cleo stopped emitting light, he was about to fall again, he couldn't see anything. The sound of the pattering of water had become so strong he felt like if he was about to be hit by the cascade itself.

"Wow!"

However, when his dear light greeted him again, he couldn't help but stand still at the wonder he was admiring at that moment.

Ran grabbed his arm and dragged him behind a rock with the others. Yang and Mihoshi looked agape just like him.

"It's easy to be impressed by such a view," The azure-eyed girl nodded.

In front of them a series of cascades made a large lake's water dance. It constantly went up and down, and sometimes the kids could see concentric circles puckering and idly reaching the lake's bank. The colour of the water was an intense blue that seemed to defeat every nature law, since it gave light to its surroundings and made every rock shine like diamonds and sapphires.

There were no Digimon wandering in that part of the cave that day, only a round one that was mixing up the lake's water. The red headgear, its long and innocent hammer; there was no doubt for Ran and Mihoshi: it was their Clockmon.

"What is he doing here, though?" Mihoshi shook her head since a drop had fallen from a stalactite.

"This place's water is said to be able to cure every kind of illness, but it's just a legend Ryou told us when we got flu as children."

"Do you think he wants to drink it?"

Ran lowered her head, frowning. "We have got a mission, Miho. We can't hang onto legends and miracles," Then, she stared at Makoto and Yang, looking at them fighting against their own feelings. "Thank you for having accompanied us here. Now it's our turn."

"Do not interfere."

The red-eyed boy growled at the short-haired girl, raising his fists.

"Why do you think we have come here?! We want to help you!"

Still, no words could have convinced them. The last thing he saw was Mihoshi's too baggy jacket fluttering into the humid atmosphere of the cave. They really hadn't understood why they had decided to go along with them.

Makoto and Yang followed the two girls' movements. They started running at an unimaginable speed, despite the kinds of boots they were wearing.

They intended to attack Clockmon without even warning it, Makoto reasoned, probably because it would have been to hard for them to face the truth.

"Ran, please, may it be a peaceful death,"

Mihoshi shook her digivice so the glowing lasso she needed would come out; she began swinging it in the air.

Mihoshi took a deep breath to keep her arms from shaking due to insecurity. Like Ryou always told them, there was no time to waste thinking about the past, about memories. They couldn't come back; Clockmon would never recognize them, those moments they had spent playing along with him had never happened from his new point of view.

She threw the lasso against the oblivious Digimon, immobilizing him while Cleo and Jolie started hitting and scratching it.

"This is too brutal, Mako," Yang bended his back, shutting his dark eyes when Ran used her lasso too. "When they fight, it's like if they lost their feelings. Do we look like this too...?

"Clockmon is a Digimon that has got a circular shape. Their lasso shouldn't be too useful," Makoto considered. "Yang, we have to help them!"

"But-But they don't want us to do that!"

Makoto abruptly stood up and started shouting at them, using his hands to amplify his voice.

"Tie its superior part, not the central one!"

But they won't listen to him, as they were too focused on resisting to its strength that not only helped it to avoid so many attacks, but it was also dragging Mihoshi and Ran back and forth.

"They are too weak! This startegy of theirs is so foolish!"

"Ryou-San must have taught them to battle in this way. After all, their aim is to kill Digimon...Mako...?"

Makoto seemed to be about to faint for a moment.

"Mihoshi! Look at its head!"

He fortunately managed to wake them up from their infernal trance.

The girl was already snapping at him, but her heart skipped a beat when she saw a a hammer heading to her chest. It was the hammer Clockmon would use as a sort of swing to make them have fun. Still, destiny was unpredictable: in the past his hammer was a swing, now it was a mortal weapon that sent Mihoshi into the lake.

Ran was obviously horrified, since her lasso was easily destroyed by the Digimon. She fell on her knees, but found the strenght to run near to the lake, looking for Mihoshi.

"Yang! Give me one of your recover cards!" Makoto fought against his heart beating faster than usual, waiting for Yang's card to be sent onto his Digivice and give Spadamon its typical power.

"If you want to win and help them, we must collaborate!" Spadamon waved its sword with energy, like it was a teacher's stick. It must have understood what was happening immediately after it had woken up.

"We won't kill it," The coconut coloured-haired tamer stated. "We'll weaken it, and then...They will do that. I've already defeated it once."

"It's a slow one, isn't it?" Yang commented, but Makoto knew it was even slower than what they were seeing at that moment. His statistics had been altered by the Digi-Tear.

"We must make its hammer fall from its hands. In this way we will be able to disarm it: it won't use so many attacks of its!"

"Then, one of them must strike uncountable attacks very quickly," Yang proposed. "The other one must throw the hammer into the lake!"

"And, of course, I won't be the one doing that!" Coronamon hugged its flaming tail. "I can give thousand punches in a minute, you have just to use the speed card!"

Everything was settled, Makoto and Yang shared a high five, ready to follow their Digimon.

"Just use the speed cards," Spadamon ordered. "You have to help Ran and Mihoshi. They are the ones who'll have to give the final blow!"

In the lake Ran was plodding in the corrent that was created by the cascades. Mihoshi was fortunately fine, even if she had to carry her on her back, while she was swimming.

"Sorry, Ran, I'm a burden when it comes to swimming."

"Don't worry," She spat water. "As long as we're together, we'll solve every trouble we'll end up into."

"Still, killing Clockmon may have weakened me and my wrist. I couldn't hold the lasso properly."

"I felt in the same way," Ran gritted her teeth, the bank was near and Cleo and Jolie were waiting for them. Surprisingly, there were two boys standing next to their digimon too, and they were offering their hands to help her in her feat.

"Not bad, really," She coughed along with Mihoshi once they were on the bank. "You're really helping us out," She pointed at Coronamon tirelessly giving punches on Clockmon's hammer. "But he needs a help too".

Without the need to say anything, Cleo produced a wave of light that headed to Clockmon's body like a thunder. Coronamon was a bit upset when the hammer fell because of an other Digimon's attack.

I'm the only one that has been deprived of its spotlight, it complained even seeing Spadamon throwing the hammer into the water, using its sword like if it was a baseball bat.

Ran didn't think twice before swinging her glowing lasso again, her short boots were firmly upon the shining ground.

End of the line, she mentally said, pushing aside every memory she had along with Clockmon. That Digimon wasn't their Clockmon anymore, she reminded herself, her long hair twirling in the air like the lasso.

"Mihoshi, it's your turn!"

Mihoshi was still kneeled, looking at her shaking hands and her soaking hair. Both the two stranger boys were staring at her with compassion.

There was no time for compassion either.

She joined Ran with her lasso, coordinately spinning their digivices.

"Farewell, Clockmon," She breathed, their whips tasing the Digimon without mercy, stripping him of every attack he had.

"Farewell," Ran bit her lips too and Jolie hit him with her powerful tail.

Makoto and Yang closed their eyes too at the weird noise that followed those mighty blows.

Datas, datas everywhere. They flew upon their heads, on the lake's water, wherever the wind that was produced by the cascades pushed them to.

Mihoshi and Ran let themselves fall on the ground, peeling their frail skin. As memories were finally allowed to dot their mind's mist, tears flew on their cheeks and mouth, until they fell on the ground too.

"No, Jolie, no," Mihoshi grabbed her Digimon that was trying to catch the datas ascending to the sky. "Let him go."

Yang and Makoto hugged their Digimon tightly, suppressing the tears' drop who wanted to be freed too.

"Do you think he will be able to remember us up there?" Ran asked Mihoshi, but their words were covered by her tears that fell like rain.

Then, a warm hug suddenly cradled their broken souls.

"Surely, he will."

He couldn't believe he could still hug them in that way, feeling their hearts beating at the rhythm of his one.

"Mihoshi, Ran..." He exhales. "You're so brave as Tamers I'm very proud of you, but never forget you are children, first of all."

Two hands on Makoto and Yang's shoulders made them flinch too.

Makoto opened his mouth at the sight of the two adults quietly rubbing their back.

"This is life. People who enter our lives will leave us sooner or later. It also happens to Digimon because of different reasons. Gods give life but at the same time they take it away."

Jenrya cleaned the humid lenses of his glasses, still massaging the boys' backs to cheer them up along with Masahiko. Even Terriermon had decided to silently look at the scene and at Ryou rubbing his cheeks against the girls' ones.

"But Makoto," Yang began. "I hope we all will stay together for a very long time".

Masahiko and Jenrya almost lost their balance at what they had heard. Not to talk about their reaction when the perpetually grumpy boy and the shy one exchanged a high five in front of them.

"Jen, they have-" Terriermon blinked.

"The mission has been a success," Jenrya slowly confirmed.

"I can't believe it!" Masahiko confessed, while Terriermon started complaining as it did want to see them washing every Hyonos' floor with their little hands.

Ryou approached them, still encircling Ran and Mihoshi with their arms.

"Well, thank you. I would have had so many more troubles without your help," He sadly sniggered. "What matters the most is that my diamonds are safe and sound."

Surely, the boys would never be commended because they had helped them: it was Ryou Akiyama, after all!

"Eh? Are you really crying?" Mihoshi shouted at Makoto.

"You are crying too!" Makoto pointed out, irritated.

"Why would you cry like us?" Ran followed her companion's question.

Still, there was no need to really reply to that one. They all smiled, tears still wetting their cheeks.

"You two really are something," And the girls laughed together for the nth time that day, turning their heads when their tears seemed to want to follow Clockmon's remaining datas.

"It isn't scientifically possible!" Masahiko underlined.

"Everything is possible in Digiworld, my little friend."

Ryou raised a gloved hand to see if one of the shining tears would gently lie on it. He was used to death, he had seen so many Digimon and people dying during his life. It was hard to accept, especially for children, and somehow he could understand why Jenrya cared so much about protecting those kids from the concept of death. He admitted he would have liked to protect Mihoshi and Ran too. Still, nobody could be protected from it.

"What do you think you'll do now, Jenrya? Will you be able to keep giving your best in your job despite its consequences?" He brought his arms under his head, slightly lifting up his little ponytail.

"We tend to think we're doing something good that can hurt others, in truth: that's a relative concept. Nevertheless, I believe these kids could be able to help us find a solution as the time passes by. It's like if they have been collaborating for such a long time."

That word seemed to have elicited the two girls' excitement, as they held onto Ryou's arms, jumping up and down.

"Oh, yes, Ryou. Please, take us to Shinjuku sometimes!" Ran joyfully hopped. "Shinjuku must have so many beautiful shops and we can play with Makoto and Yang too!"

"I want to go there too! Makoto has to teach me what a radiotransmitter is! Who knows how many other unknown things they have got over there!"

"Oh Gods," Ryou hid his face behind one of his hands: diamonds had their steep price, after all.

"Well, I guess it's beautiful to see smiles coming after tears," Jenrya let himself laugh too: the two boys were blushing very hard. "I think it will be a pleasure to show you Shinjuku for Yang and Makoto, so come whenever you want."

There was nothing to laugh about, Ryou thought, desperate. He wanted to avoid visiting Shinjuku, and now he had to return there so many times because those two had found two friends.

Still, what a wonderful word: "friends", Ran and Mihoshi had never had friends that were kids just like them. He stared at them smiling after the pain they had gone through.

"It will be a pleasure for me too!"

Would he be ready for a possible Tamers' meeting, though?

XXX

Jenrya politely cut a call, even though he was aware doing that couldn't be considered polite at all.

"Damn it," He swore, hearing men giggling and women cooing out the window.

"They do want to become Hypnos' mascottes, Jen!" Terriermon covered its mouth with a paw waiting for a reply that never came. He was furious.

"So, you two, what do you think you're doing?" He stared at them with his wise grey eyes that fortunately retained his usual calm. "Can't you see everyone is watching you?"

"It seems they are watching a wrestling match," Terriermon laughed, praying that time those two would finally begin washing Hypnos's floor. The digital bunny could already imagining the two children with their backs bent in inhuman positions, looking for non existent spots it will indicate them.

They will be my private Cinderella, the digital dog didn't hide its almost evil smile. After such a hard work, they will ask me for my donuts, but I will make them suffer and I will never let them eat my precious donuts!

"So?" Jenrya insisted, his dark eyebrows arched.

The two boys eventually noticed his presence and stopped fighting, parting from each other.

"We were training together," Makoto happily grinned at the man so happily Jenrya thought the real Makoto had been left in Digiworld.

His previous anger had already been replaced by a sense of amusement, but he had to keep an iron fist for a little longer.

"And what were you training at, let's hear!"

"We have decided to start a special training, a hard and serious one to become the greatest Hypnos agents of this world! Right, Yang?"

The Chinese boy rubbed his cheek that was covered in dust and straightened his back to look respectful in front of the man.

"Sure!"

Seeing those two beaming in that way was a pleasure for Jenrya's heart. Maybe he was still living in a dream, but, if he had to be honest, he hadn't got to meet such a joy on their little face in his dreams either.

"Now we have finished the strength and resistance training! I'm the most resistant one!"

Oh, yes, why would Makoto's pride fade, after all? Still, that day he resembled Takato more despite his stubborn antics.

"Now we're switching to our speed training!" He tweeted, scratches and bruises covering his legs and arms just like Yang's.

"Your speed training?"

"Tear Jumpers have to be very fast, right? Then, we'll focus on improving at that too."

He was already dashing grabbing Yang's arm, but Jenrya obstacled them.

"I'm sure your super training can wait until tomorrow. I could also let you join me in my morning jogging or carve out a bit of time to contribute to your strength and resistance training. What do you think?"

"Jen, what about their punishment?! Remember, you had to turn them into cleaning ladies!"

Terriermon whined just like a child, seeing Jenrya and those kids sharing enjoyment and delight.

"Well, now you should reach It-Chan at the park. She has been asking about you since yesterday. Sometimes I'm afraid my darling could get affectionate to you and neglect me."

Still, they didn't listen to his words at all and started running away from him...They had started fighting again.

"Didn't I tell you that you had to remind me to call Itsuki yesterday?" One of them shouted.

"I immediately fell asleep! Sorry! I-I even forgot to feed my cat!"

"Who cares about your cat! Itsuki is more important than that hairball!"

"I know, but..."

Jenrya scratched his head as their argument flew further and further away from him. They were still the Makoto and Yang he and every Hypnos' operators saw everyday but they were imperceptibly changing in front of their eyes: they would surely keep on making him mad because of their questionable behaviours, but at the same time they would grow up and change, parting more and more from him...Just like his precious Itsuki.

Somehow Ryou and those girls of his had pushed him to remember how brief life may be and how quick time was; even while he was thinking and standing there, time was passing.

"I don't want to think about my honey getting far away from me for now, I don't even want to think about those two growing up either," He admitted. "Right, Terriermon? I guess I should call that boy looking for a job and apologize. Time to go back working again, see you later".

The man put Terriermon on the ground, completely ignoring its childish complaints.

"Jen! Have you forgot in what huge dangers they sent Itsuki into?! Don't you want to make them pay?! Jen! "

"Do you want to wash the floors yourself, Terriermon? You seem to care about them so much!"

And this was how Terriermon escaped from the countryard at the speed of light, maybe heading to Masahiko's desk to get some other cakes.

At least, Jen realized, complacent, Terriermon would be the only one that would never change.

He didn't know if it was for better or for worse, though.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was an AU an Anon asked me to write about...An AU that's too rude to Yang XD

[ |∀|• 1 In which from a tiny door the dawn of a hopeful future reaches out to the man who has even ended up taking for granted his own life.]

He had never run so fast like that day, he couldn't deny it, and, even though he was used to dashing thanks to his past as a basketball player during his high school years, it was clear for him that was a quite impossible feat. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to give up so easily; it wasn't like being near to turn into a thirty-year-old man meant he had to surrender to the power of the age either.

After the plane had landed, he didn't even wait for every passenger to get off, which was one of the most important duties of a pilot, but he nimbly jumped off the plane, and started running frantically, leaving his trolley and disappearing from his senior workmate's sight; surely, the older man was wondering about what was going on in his mind.

"It's a promise, damn it. It's a promise!" He gritted his teeth, as he coped with making his way among the long queue of passengers who were waiting for some stewardess to announce the opening of that departure gate.

"Why hasn't the sky wanted to contribute? Why has the sky made rain today?!"

It had been a long and difficult journey, he had to admit it, thinking about the series of turbulences they had met throughout it. Actually, he could still feel his stomach acting up, even if he also took in account the possibility the stressful situation might be the main cause of that too.

"It hasn't rained for days. We haven't registered delays for weeks...Why did this very day have to pour down?"

Finally, he reached the stairs that led to the parking garage, and, resisting to the need to stop, he eventually managed to approach his beloved motorbike, one of his most loyal friends, like he usually called it; obviously, lots of acquaintances of his made fun of him because of that name.

"It's not like it's the best choice to ride in a suit," He muttered, as he put his helmet on. It was already a torture for him to dress like that because of his job; imagine what riding his motorbike like that felt, from his point of view.

"Moreover," He growled, breathing heavily. "This rain will never stop, won't it?"

He would rarely complain about riding under the rain, but that day was a special one, and the last thing he needed were possible floods and thunders. How was he supposed to speed on the wet roads? He wasn't that careless boy who risked to be run by a truck anymore. Thanks to one of his best friends' mother he had gained awareness and knowledge in that field, even though there were so many others sectors in which he hadn't got enough sense yet (or rather, he hadn't got common sense at all).

Heavily sighing, he gave up on insulting mother nature, and slowly entered the hell the long streets of Shinjuku would turn into at those hours in the morning. It was futile hoping there wouldn't be traffic. Therefore. he genuinely cursed himself and his decision not to take the train from the airport like normal people would always do.

"It was better to pilot a plane in the middle of blizzards and winds the Whole night, I suppose".

It was almost the lunch hour when he passed over the doors of the hospital, fatigued and, most of all, wet. Some locks of his longish hair had attached to his forehead and his coat was completely soaked; not to forget about his immortal circles, always there, under his dull eyes. It was obvious he didn't look good at all; indeed, he looked like someone who needed assistance urgently. Still, he was a pilot who had been awake through a journey from Russia to Japan for hours. Moreover, he hadn't been sleeping on a decent bed at all lately, but had only been spending nights in front of glasses of alcohol along with his Senpai or a series of women whose face he couldn't even recall. Nobody could blame him, after all (that's what he believed, at least).

"H-hi!" He tried cracking a smile at a nurse who was looking at him, surprised and creeped. Nothing had ever changed since he was a kid.

"May I help you?"

He blinked, at the realization he was staring at her too hard and blushed heavily. Lonely men, he couldn't help but think.

"I'm- I'm here to visit someone," He stuttered, blushing even more.

"May you give me their surnames?"

He stroked his little beard, trying to remember which surname they had chosen for their family, but he really couldn't find anything in his memories.

"Lee...I think," However, he immediately corrected himself, feeling that wasn't right. "Uhm, Matsuda Lee."

He waited for her to check on the computer, her expression was bored and annoyed. Maybe, she didn't like her job, or, perhaps, it was him who had spoiled her day because of his presence: that was the effect he would provoke in other people's existence.

"The maternity ward is on the fifth floor. If you need the elevator, it's there," She pointed at a spot he couldn't see.

I guess I'll take the stairs, he winced.

"What about the room number?" He asked, abruptly stopping walking, but he never received an answer; instead, she gave him a sort of ticket, giving him a suspecting glance.

The hospital stairs were steep and unexpectedly rather long, and tempted him to go back and look for the elevator for many times. As he trotted on the uncountable steps, his brain dwelled on how fluently and coherently he could speak Japanese now. Nobody could have ever understood he was a foreigner so easily anymore, also thanks to his father's traits, which were not so Chinese-like. It was true he would still stutter, whenever it came to speaking, but that was a part of his person. It didn't matter how much effort he would put into erasing his shyness, driven by his hatred for it, it was an indelible part of his being, a part that would have never faded. His burning ears were a proof of that fact. He had only talked to someone, the most normal human act , but he was feeling like if he had just confessed his love to a woman and had eventually been politely rejected, which wasn't a rarity, especially when the ladies he fell in love with discovered his true self.

A vibrant thunder welcomed him to the maternity ward, a place he had never visited. Indeed, if he had to be honest, he didn't even like thinking about trying entering that place.

"When little sister was born, I escaped from home. When my niece was born, I decided not to come here either."

It was too full of joy, people crying out of happiness, moved new grandparents, who seemed even more excited than the new parents themselves...The more he looked at his surroundings, the more he believed that place could cast a spell on people. In his opinion, for example, there everything sounded as sweet as a lullaby, even the babies' annoying cries, everything smelt as pleasant as a perfume, even the detergent that was Always used to clean hospital rooms.

"And then there is me who can't help but quote that philosopher who rightly said a neonate cries because he's aware to have been brought to life."

He laid his back against the wall for a second, feeling tired of that confusing and hectic day. He was feeling like if he was still piloting a plane, and he needed to close his dark eyes for a bit, to get back down to Earth. The jet lag was definitely attacking him, and his body had never been able to resist to that phenomenon's strenght as well as defeat it. Actually, after years as a pilot, he still struggled to fall asleep during unusual periods of the day. He would inevitably end up staring at the ceiling and getting exasperated at the sound of the alarm clock.

That one, that one was a promise, he mentally repeated, without any reason, forcing himself to stare at a huge crowd of people cooing in front of a long window.

Surely, it was a promise, wasn'it? However, why was he standing still there?

His mind had already started wandering on its own, as his temples unbearably pulsed and his orbs twitched.

Should he have bought a present? Suddenly, he was pushed to ask himself, when a woman who was carrying a bunch of flowers ran in his line of sight.

Maybe, he should have, he reasoned...But to whom? How could he choose a gift for someone who didn't have tastes, wishes, personality? When he was born, he knew his father's sisters gave him a golden bracelet he had never worn.

"Did they think I was a girl back then?!"

Slowly, his consciousness was sinking into the dream world, ideas flowing and disappearing in a blink of an eye, escaping from his attempt to grab them as if they were carefree butterlies. His body gradually slipped down to the floor, while the flaps of his jacket rubbed against the lucid white tiles, totally uncovering that tie he hated so much and his ironed shirt tightly tugged in his trousers thanks to a belt; he never managed to find trousers in his size: he was too thin as a grown-up man.

The surrounding sounds and noises he could hear had become blurried and undefined, occasionally mixing up with his inconstintent oniric visions...Until a voice woke him up.

"Are you going to stay here forever, Yang?"

He hadn't been called by his name for months; he had even forgot he had a name, if he had to be sincere: sometimes he appreciated what it felt like pretending to have no identity, blending into the sea of people the Earth was full of, being a pnly a drop of that sea, an unnamed person, an aimless man.

"Mako!" Yang stood up at once, and grabbed his childhood friend's hand, shaking it. "Uhm, c-congratulations, I guess." He really didn't know what you should say during those occasions.

"Thank you, my friend. We are truly blessed."

Makoto didn't hide the very genuine smile appearing on his face, and Yang did notice his childhood friend's reddish eyes felt different. They were shining thanks to a new kind of light, they were emanating peaceful feelings; that was a pair of eyes belonging to an extremely happy man, even happier than how joyful he was during his wedding.

He let an imperceptible sound escape from his throat, as the man patted him on his back and encircled his shoulders with an arm.

"So, what are you waiting for? Don't you want to meet her?"

"Wait, the baby is a she...?" To think he would have bought the baby a model plane, if he had ever decided to give them a gift. Fortunately, he hadn't done that.

He was hit by another pat from Makoto.

"You never listen to me, don't you? You always think about something else. I told you about the baby gender four months ago, can't you remember? You were the first person we called," A powerful laugh reached his ears. "C'mon, let's go. What do you think you were doing there?"

"No, wait, she will be sleeping now...Besides..." He lowered his head at the thought of their child crying because of his presence. She would be scared by him, by his eyes, by everything he was. Didn't his niece start crying like a fountain the first as well last time he had accepted to hold her? A bittersweet taste dominated his mouth, after having buried that memory fragment in the deepest part of his brain.

"This means you don't want to see It-Chan, either?"

Yang froze at the sound of that name. How could he forget about her, the mother?

"Alcohol and girls are really stealing your intelligence, my friend", Makoto unusually laughed again, and dragged him through the blithely corridor.

He hadn't seen him so happy for ages, Yang realized, and that was the moment he started wondering what he had to do with that happy couple of husband and wife. He shouldn't have had to do anything with them anymore. He didn't belong to that world he used to belong to as a child.

Another vigorous push from Makoto made him enter a very welcoming room, decorated with many flower, which helped Yang understand every friend of theirs had already come. He was ashamed. At the centre of the chamber there was a young woman who was lying on a candid bed. Her head was bended, and she was whispering something to a tiny living being in her arms.

"Oh, Dear, you've taken Yang-Chan here! This man never ages, he's always the same."

Yang was surprised by the fact she didn't look and seem worn out, but he had to highlight she was Itsuki Lee, one of the strongest women he had ever met, after all.

"Congratulations to you too," He said once more, awkwardly. He was really embarrassed, as he had been the last one to go visiting them.

"You won't believe me, but I found him on my way to the café. He was sitting on the floor, and everyone was pointing at him."

The atmosphere of that room was relaxing his heart, Yang mentally asserted, as he sat down on a chair, distant from the bed. There was no sound coming into there, just the whispers and hummings Itsuki occasionally sent to the baby.

"Isn't she a miracle?" Makoto asked him, smiling gratefully, as he had never done before. It was incredible a baby could change someone like that. Fortunately, but also unfortunately for him, if the situation was seen from other people's point of view, he would have never experienced that; he didn't want to have children.

"A pilot shouldn't have a family," That was the sentence he had written permanently into his soul.

Moreover, he strongly believed he wouldn't be a good father. That role didn't fit him. He carried his parents' blood in his veins, and he was aware he could have never wished for a family who would sincerely love him. He was sure he would eventually end up hurting them just like his father did to his own family.

"Why don't you go seeing her?"

"Yeah, Yang, come here," Itsuki joined her husband, giggling. "She won't bite you, you know?"

He raised his hands to refuse, "Ah, I'm-I'm soaking. I don't want your child to get her first cold because of me."

" Then, put off that jacket, if that's the problem," Makoto insisted, his arms crossed, revealing a shade of his past personality.

Yang sat still on the chair, silent, frowning because of how cowardly he was acting. He had kept his promise; now he could go back home, right?

However, it was enough an encouraging smile from the woman and a friendly hand put on his shoulder to convince him to stand up and approach delicately the bed.

In front of that sight, he understood at that point it was impossible to get back down to Earth. That scene seemed to belong to another part of the universe, another side of the reality. Everything seemed so pure around him, and, maybe, that was the first time he realized the baby wasn't an illusion or a far dream.

"This is the weirdest reunion of the Tear Jumpers, isn't it?" Itsuki joked, looking at her husband with affection.

She shifted the baby in her arms to let him look at her better, and Yang opened his mouth in disbelief, still coping with accepting that moment was a real one. There, engulfed by a soft towel, there was the little baby, steadily breathing and cuddled by her mother's love. Her cheeks were as chubby as her father, but the tuft of hair that sprouted from her head were coloured with a light shade of brown, more similar to one of her grandfathers'.

"How is she called?" He asked Makoto, as he kneeled, agape.

"What a question. Mirai, of course! Jenrya wanted us to call her like that, so here she is."

The more he looked at that baby, the more he became curious, as if she was a strange creature he had never seen. No, he seemed a child, instead; a child who had met his younger sister for the first time.

He couldn't help but think she was really a strange creature, sucking on her thumb and making strange noises with her mouth and nose, until...She opened her eyes, and her mother nuzzled against her little head, overwhelmed by the love she felt for her first daughter.

"Neh, Mirai, look at him, he's Yang. He's Mummy and Daddy's best friend, he's...A dear person to us."

He was enchanted by those reddish orbs she was using to look at him, conveying him a feeling he couldn't define, as well as the one he was feeling in his heart. It was an alien one. Who knew what she was thinking too.

At least, she hadn't cried, when she saw him, like he had predicted before.

"Hey, Mirai-Chan," Eventually, he reached out and waved a long finger of his in front of her face, slightly modifying his deep voice. "Mirai-Chan, welcome".

He couldn't figure out what he was doing, either. Perhaps, he just wanted to test what she would do.

Still, a wave of a warm feeling he had got to know thanks to her parents hit him, as soon as her miniscule finger grabbed his. Suddenly, his dark eyes seemed to shine because of the intensity of the moment, and he found himself smiling at the baby, like if he had been ensnared by her eyes which reminded him of her father.

"I wonder what she will be like in the future," Itsuki sweetly muttered, staring at the neonate who was trying to suck on Yang's finger too.

" Maybe, she will be a tsundere like her mother?" Makoto hid his joke behind fake coughs.

"Or...She will be a grumpy and childish girl like her father," She stuck her tongue out, like she used to do when she was younger, and Yang, who had stood up and woken up from his trance state, realized there still were children in those adult hearts. They still were the kids who used to run through Shinjuku to carry on missions and used to reward themselves with a dinner at the Matsuda Bakery, eating only sweets and cakes. They just were different physically and mentally, but nothing had changed among them, even though Yang struggled to believe it was true.

"Or she will become an ice skater like her mother," Yang brought himelf to grin, his cheeks blushing, still looking at the neonate.

"It would be great," The woman crawled her daughter and pressed her head against hers again. That was the first time he had spotted a sign of tiredness on her face. "Seeing her skating and dancing would be a dream. We would never stop admiring her from the stands. However," She stopped for a second, fighting against the urge to sleep. "My biggest wish is for you to be to be there, on those stands, along with us. May our child get to know what a beautiful person you are, Yang. May she love you like me and Mako do. You are a part of our family, aren't you?"

"What are you talking about? I've got no family, Itsuki," It was a melancholy answer the one he had used to reply to her, but it came deeply from his heart.

He had nothing to do with them anymore. That was an obviousness.

Luckily, he didn't get to see her upset face, since her violet spheres closed suddenly, finally freeing the tiredness that had been asking to be freed since he had come in that room. Makoto didn't hesitate before putting a blanket on her and placing Mirai into the crib.

"She's adorable," The man commented, pointing at the baby gently sleeping under the covers. Yeah, he wasn't the Makoto he used to hang out with anymore. He was a father who was already proud of his daughter, and a husband who was truly in love with his wife.

Yang merely nodded, Itsuki's words had been printed on his mind like if they had been made of fire, as well as that little finger touching his bigger one. What was happening to him? He had always been a cold man; he had been putting his effort to become like that, because it was necessary; he did know he couldn't let himself get affectionate to someone. He couldn't. Nevertheless, that finger was still attached to him in his memories and was still filling his soul with a form of affection he had never felt in his life. That baby had melted his heart in a second, and he couldn't understand why it had happened. Maybe because he was the fruit of his two best friends' love?

He brought a hand to his head because of the confusion he was feeling now, as he silently went out of that surreal room.

"So, when will we see you again?" His friend spoke, with that new atmosphere that surrounded him.

"Who knows."

"Of course, when you're turning thirty-year-old, you idiot, and I won't let you escape like every year. Turning thirty-year-old is an important achievement, and you won't waste your money in a cheap pub who knows where in the world."

Yang couldn't resist to the laugh that wanted to get out of his throat. Makoto did know him well. Actually, he intended to spend his birthday far from everyone, from the world itself. He just wished to spend that day with himself, in some isolated place with Coronamon, which now was taking care of his cats at home. He couldn't force it to accept his hard life as a pilot, could he?

"You see, Yang, our Digivices have always connected us, and I know every movement of yours; I do know the mill pubs you always go to. Remember, I'll send Hypnos wherever you are", Then, he scratched his head, being aware he should have been looking after his wife, instead of being chatting there. "Still, what matters the most is that you will come back to Tokyo someday, because we will always be your home and family, whatever happens to us. After all, this It-Chan's wish too"

No, that wasn't true and possible, Yang bit his lips, overwhelmed. They only felt sorry for him, that was the reason why they kept on saying that. Nevertheless, they were his friends, and he should haven been glad they existed, in the first place.

"It's so weird listening to you talking so kindly and softly. I suppose the transformation has been completed. What a loyal husband you've become. Are you really Makoto Matsuda?" He still enjoyed teasing him like that, and observing his face turning red like a pepper.

"Just thank Gods we aren't in the right place, or I would have punched your face so hard some teeth of yours would have jumped from your mouths!" The man hissed, his reddish eyes full of anger.

"Nah, nah, you should be an example for you daughter from now on, shouldn't you?"

They eventually laughed ike if they had still been children and like if time had never existed.

"Take care of yourself, Yang," Makoto said, before waving his goodbye. He couldn't help but be worried for the man.

"Take care of your family and, if you can...No, let it be."

After having seen his friend nod and join his wife again, Yang put his gloves on again, and went out of the maternity ward, feeling like if he had lost as well gained something.

"They are so blinded by their happiness they can't understand everything has changed, and will keep on changining: nothing will ever be like it used to. They just use that word, family, without even realizing they are the only ones who are a family now," He muttered, as he descended the stairs. He was looking forward to throwing himself on his bed and sleeping until he would feel completely healed, indeed, his heart would be. He didn't need people whho pitied him.

I have got nothing to do with them anymore. Who are the Young Tear Jumpers now? Am I the only one now?

Why would they need me? They don't need me anymore.

I'm...I'm...

He widened his dark eyes, when he felt tears wetting his cheeks.

No, what are these?! I'm...Not crying, I'm tired, that's all.

However, tears didn't intend to arrest and he couldn't help but free the anger he was feeling in his heart.

"No, Yang, you're a man! Men don't cry!" He would have wanted to shout at a certain point.

Still, memories featuring their group kept on scrolling in his mind, making the tears wet his helmet even more. Then, that little finger appeared through them again, and his tears stopped their outburst. It was like if he could still feel it on his skin, if he could still perceive that warmth that unconscious gesture engulfed him with. That finger was what still linked him to them, to his friends. It had absorbed the whole love he had been feeling for them since he was a kid, and had conveyed him the affection they were still feeling for him.

He felt a bit pathetic because of the value that finger, that baby had already got for his soul, but somehow now every words his friends had pronounced before felt sincere and caring. Then, he recalled the promise Itsuki wanted him to make, and he rubbed his orbs, grabbing the wheel of his motorbike, determined.

It was true everything would have never been like it used to; it was true now they were a proper family and led their own private life, but the affection that had always charcterized their group would never disappear. Indeed, since they had a daughter now, he had to support her with all his might too, just like Itsuki wanted him to.

"I'm surely an idiot." He put his helmet on, noticing his hair was soaking again. " He hated it, when his body reacted to his feelings in that way, crying. "What kind of man I am?" Nevertheless, he loved Itsuki and Makoto because they had always accepted him the way he was, which was something he really couldn't bring himself to. Maybe, their baby girl had already inheritated that good point from her parents, since he was still surprised she hadn't got scared because of his eyes, he thought, hearing the familiar sound of the engine of his motorbike.

"Mirai, uh? I wonder if she woud like a model plane as present, after all."


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a chapter that's dedicated to my Senpai, a dear friend if mine, my greatest supporter! It's very "unusual" and has got a comical atmosphere.

| 2 | •2 In which confusion reigns in the whole chapter starting from a meeting among the older Tamers to a bunch of lost teenagers' thoughts. After all, life is such a confusing and confused miracle, right? Anyway, would the reader like some sake mixed with wine, I wonder? ]

In that sea of laughters, which still seemed so far from her, Itsuki couldn't help but occasionally stare at the outfit she had chosen for that evening. Crossing her house's corridor had never taken so long, she realized, sometimes sighing at the awareness she couldn't feel the excitement she used to experience when she was a kid anymore.

If I had been a child, she reckoned, I would have been sitting at the table since this afternoon, waiting for everyone to come and...Why not, bring me presents.

It's all their fault, she brought herself to indignantly admit, when she was pushed to kneel and stop again.

Itsuki heavily sighed once more.

"What's the matter, It-Chan?" Lunamon asked, getting off her shoulder. The Digimon's heart had spent a horrible day, fighting against the anxiety that would never leave the creature thanks to Itsuki's disregard for time's power. Actually, some hours ago the girl seemed not to care about the fact Lunamon had prepared a schedule for her she was supposed to respect: on the contrary, she stayed in the bathtub for almost an hour, she dwelled on brushing her hair, choosing her outfit, jewels, make-up...

"It's so hard for me to find an outfit that won't make Daddy suspicious but will be appreciated by Daiki-Chan at the same time!" While she was preparing, Lunamon had heard that sort of whining too many times.

"It-Chan?" The Digimon pressed, returning to the present and trying understanding what was happening in her friend's mind.

Human adolescence, the Digimon told itself.

"I just don't want to go," Itsuki whispered, squinting her violet eyes and letting herself lie her head on her kness.

"But everyone is waiting for you!" Lunamon had already started panicking, imagining the consequences of her partner's actions. "Oh My, Oh My!"

"I just want to go back to my bedroom and wait for him to come."

She stared at Lunamon with almost a melancholic expression, her mind pleasantly journeying to midnight, to the moment she would go out with her boyfriend and forget about everything, about what an awful experience was to have started hating your childhood and best friends; she looked forward to leaving Tokyo along with him and follow their dream together.

It's their fault if this has happened.

Joyful cheers could be heard coming from the kitchen, and Itsuki understood the Digimon Tamers' annual meeting had just started.

She bit her tongue, she couldn't stay there anymore.

"Don't worry, Lunamon, I'll go," She grinned at the Digimon, standing up and giving the nth glance to the outfit she had chosen.

Ah, there were times she had never cared about the way she dressed, those two would point out this fact whenever they saw her dressed up for her dates.

Stupid boys!, she clenched her fists. The only one Makoto should look at should be Atsuko-Chan, while the one Yang-

"Never mind!" She shouted a bit too loudly, before leaving Lunamon all alone and finally reaching the living room.

"I can't understand her anymore," Lunamon sadly said, taking into account it should read more about human adolescence.

"Good evening!" Itsuki gulped, waving her tanned hand with one of her large cheerful smiles.

A silence that froze her bones followed. Eyes staring at her.

Now the top she was wearing really looked and felt too short for her tastes, but a thumb that was risen by her mother made her feel a bit more comfortable.

Oh, thank ya Mommy!, she joined her hands, noticing her father and Takato were nowhere to be seen: probably they were still in the kitchen.

She also mentally thanked Hirokazu a second later, since he good-naturedly greeted her, making everyone start laughing and cheering again. Everything felt like a dream, Itsuki put a hand on her head; maybe she was imagining embarassing moments because of her nervousness.

"Looks like the little Lee has finally decided to join us!" Kenta gently smiled at her, getting a slight punch by Hirokazu.

"Ohi, can't you see she's not little anymore!" The light brown-haired man underlined, nudging his friend and making Ruki understand he was referring to something in particular. Drunk Hirokazu knew so many ways that could convince Ruki to kick him out of their house.

"I can see you've become so old you can't hold your liquor anymore," She began teasing him, staring intensively at his reddish cheeks and nose.

"Oh," He was almost stuttering. "I just think Itsuki has...Grown, yes, she has grown."

His brain had already started not working properly and a large smirk appeared on Ruki's porcelain face.

He thinks he can fool me, her smirk became bigger, she had never been one to mince words and was already enjoying the upcoming moment.

"She's my daughter, idiot. She may look like Jen, but she has taken that quite huge pair after me," Hirokazu's embarassed expression made her laugh genuinely.

"Hey, Ru! Don't take it so personally! I was just...Noticing our daughters have grown up too quickly, that's all," He repeated, completely wasted: Ruki did know he had drunk even before coming to their house. She had a proof and it was the unlistenable music he had chosen and everyone could listen to in the background; where had he taken that garbage from?

Hirokazu hid his face under his cap, alchool feeling his veins. "I mean, look at my Atsuko, Ruki ," He tried changing topic to fight against the awkwardness and Kenta's ashamed stare on him -which seemed to be shouting at him, "Look at where your perversion has arrived".

Ruki was enjoying every attempt he was holding onto to make her forget about what she had just seen and heard.

"My Atsuko doesn't look like a child anymore. She has even got a boyfriend now, one of my best buddies' son, no less!"

"Not again, Dad!" Atsuko exasperatedly shouted from the other side of the table. She wished her mother could be there, but she rarely attended those events among Digimon Tamers.

"I want you to understand how much it hurts Daddy to see you holding that other boy's hand! You would hold mine even while I combed your hair!"

The girl didn't ask him when exactly he ever combed her hair - it was something she had learned to do by herself because of her father's inability at even tying her hair into a ponytail-. Instead, she merely held Makoto's hand again and put their laced hands on the table to show them to her father.

"Uh, how much I admire your girl," Ruki chuckled along with Juri, Hirokazu had opened his mouth in disbelief at his daughter's behaviour.

Sometimes the woman's eyes would migrate onto her daughter's silhouette. She had just finished greeting everyone and was finally sitting...Not where Ruki wanted her to, though.

What in the world is she doing? She tried beckoning to her, reminding her now they could say and do to each other whatever they wanted, since Jen was still preparing their dinner with Takato. Nevertheless, she let herself be absorbed by Juri and Kenta's conversation about the holiday his husband gave him for his birthday as a surprise.

She had so much in store for the lovebirds and her crew, after all, she told herself, not managing to keep the excitement.

Meanwhile, Itsuki sat down next to Atsuko, avoiding to meet Makoto and Yang's eyes, but the party wasn't meant to start in a good way for her.

"Your belly is showing," Makoto immediately highlighted.

"He's...He's right," Yang agreed with him, averting his gaze not to start blushing furiously. He didn't really want to express his thoughts about what there was before his eyes. Did he find it a bit weird? A bit uncomfortable? Did he consider it as a plesant view? A beautiful one, perhaps?

Oh, it's not like he really could understand his feelings anymore. Everything had become such a roller-caster for him, and it wasn't cool at all, in his opinion, since somehow his milk had started disgusting him as well as his favourite colour or whatever he used to love...Before that damned day, like his unconscious would call it.

"Do you think it could make you seem slimmer?" Makoto kept on saying pointing at her quite tight trousers , wincing because of Atsuko strenghtening her grip and Itsuki giving him a mighty kick that erroneously ended up hitting Yang. He couldn't understand how rude his statement had been.

"Y'two! Y' two idiots are so petty!" Itsuki growled, her hands migrating to her top and trying lenghtening it to cover her belly.

"Mean!" Atsuko fiercely added, turning to her boyfriend. "I've helped her choose the outfit for her date, stupid." She lied and she turned her back to chat with Itsuki, leaving both Yang and Makoto wondering what they had said of so outrageous.

"Date..." Yang could only mutter.

"I mean, it's freezing out there and we're just worrying about her getting a cold," Makoto huffed, crossing his arms. "Her next tournament is in a week. Right, Yang?"

He expected the other boy to say something way more entertaining than just a yes, but the truth was that Yang wasn't so focused on what Makoto was babbling about: he already knew Makoto was genuinely worried about Itsuki dating that boy, but he was also angry at her because of how many missions of theirs she had been skipping because of her dates. They had been discussing and arguing because of that attitude of hers for weeks. It didn't matter how many times they would make up, they would end up fighting again and again, like if they had ended up in a cursed circle.

Then, a detail struck his attention, one of those he had been noticing as the days passed by.

"It's not like Atsuko has to wear flashy clothes to be liked by me. I love her the way she is, who cares about stupid clothes!" Makoto was still rambling incoherently, turning his head at Yang who had cautiously put a hand on his shoulder.

"She's wearing polish," He absently blinked, but the truth was that it was quite predictable. After all, everything had started with her wearing clothes the younger Itsuki would have never accepted to wear; then, she had begun staying in Hypnos' locker rooms for an hour straight, making them wait for their shower just because she had to apply make-up on her face right there; after some days, it was her ponytail's turn to disappear and now...

"She's wearing polish," He repeated to himself, Makoto raised an eyebrow and wondered how his friend had managed to spot that.

"Yeah, she is wearing that lame thing too. Now she seems to care about her nails as much as Uncle Kenta does," The coconut coloured- haired boy shrugged, leading his red orbs on the man who was sitting next to Hirokazu. "I don't know if he used to wear polish too, but he does look at his nails like if they were treasures. He even goes to a manicurist once a week...I heard Mum saying that".

"A-a manicurist?"

"Yes, Yang, he's gay. Can't you remember that?"

"S-sure I can, but...A manicurist...I mean..."

"It's kinda unusual, I know," Makoto nodded. "I mean, imagine him relaxing on an armchair, reading those cheap gossip magazines and waiting for the manicurist to finish using that thing, yeah, the nailfile."

They stared at each other in silence, while Makoto recalled the powerful slap his mother gave him back when he was a child and told his parents Kenta wasn't a man he admired, indeed, in his childish opinion, he couldn't be considered a man at all.

I was just a child! I didn't really know the world is beautiful, because it's so various, he mentally justified himself.

Nevertheless, it still sounded quite strange to him: a man appreciating lady stuff? He would never do that. A day spent shopping with Atsuko, among frilly dresses and shops that looked the same, was enough for him.

"Are you still shivering at the thought of Uncle Kenta at the manicurist?" Makoto couldn't suppress a laughter at the sight of Yang's blank face.

"N-no, at all. I was just thinking about how amazing-"

"Dude, never talk to me again," Makoto had retained his tendency not to let other people finish talking, and this had led him to a huge amount of misunderstandings.

He pointed at the girls who were chatting next to him, completely ignoring them. "That's your place. Your place is among women."

"W-what are you talking about M-Mako?! You're wrong! That's not what I meant!" Yang frantically waved his tanned hands in front of his face, once more realizing it was better if he didn't speak at all. "I was just saying-"

"That maybe you would join him at the manicurist...? So lame, Yang!"

"I-I think it's lame too! But I was...You know...Oh, never mind! "

Atsuko finally turned her head to pay attention to the boys. She didn't have a lovely expression, which was what Makoto hoped to see, though.

"Why are you two discussing about this matter, as if it was a disgusting one?"

"Y'two haven't matured at all," Itsuki joined her friend, pretty annoyed: it was such a rarity to hear such a tone coming from her mouth.

"You two should learn how to treat us from Uncle Kenta."

"You should let him take ya to hairdressers and manicurists to understand what our world is like, for example."

Itsuki and Atsuko stared at each other like Yang and Makoto had done some seconds before, and telepatichally agreed about the matter: girls' power.

"Every girl would deserve to date or be friends with a boy who's just like Uncle Kenta."

"He has got such a perfect understanding of our needs!"

Makoto and Yang evidently winced at those statements.

"So...He is the kind of man girls like?" Yang seemed to have been drawn by the topic, since women's world had always been such a big mystery to him...And his father.

Most of all, did she like those kinds of men?, He asked himself.

"Is that dork of Daiki like this, then?" Makoto directly asked Itsuki, gaining a terrifying glare by Atsuko. "Can he understand your needs and mind, or does he just brainwash you?"

Oh, they were talking about that again, Yang lied his elbows on the table, not wanting to even look at her not to notice the sparkle her eyes would get, whenever she thought about that boy; that was a sparkle he would have liked to see in her eyes whenever she talked to him, instead.

"Sure, he can, Mako, and he doesn't brainwash me, ya shithead. Y'should just stop accusing him of having done stuff ya come out with because of those scientific magazines ya always read!"

The boys were quite stunned in front of the fact she had defended her boyfriend, that boy they didn't like so much, in such a fierce way. Their expressions were astonished.

Itsuki crossed her arms and sinked on her chair, wondering when the main meal would arrive. She was starving and those two weren't helping her stomach at all.

" Bah, Mako, you must have already drunk too much beer. Darling, why don't you two try clubbing together and joining Uncle Kenta and his husband? I think it could be an instructive experience. I wouldn't blame you at all, eh! What would matter the most would be the fact that you'd come back as a better boyfriend, a perfect one."

Atsuko winked at him and turned again.

It was a joke, it was blatant, she would always treat him like that. However, Makoto was already fuming.

"If I dated Yang, I would enjoy myself much more than when I stay with you and hear you babbling about how beautiful the world would look, if there were more flowers!"

"What have you just said, Makoto Matsuda?!"

There was something that could make Yang forget about the unpleasant feelings that had been hitting his heart for weeks: Atsuko and Makoto's silly fights. They were so entertaining he couldn't help but laugh, whenever he found himself in the middle of one of those.

Itsuki used to laugh along with him too, but those were other times, other times Itsuki would also try stopping their fights instead of chatting with that boy on her phone.

She was always on her phone, he frowned: that action was one of the few reasons she smiled, Yang melancholically realized, as his laugher quickly faded.

"Now now, you kids, don't fight. Your dinner is served."

Jenrya Lee finally got out of the kitchen along with Takato and put the huge pot at the center of the table.

"Finally! I was about to eat your lovey wives!" Hirokazu joked, rubbing his hands at the sight of the upcoming meal. He had already raised his chopsticks and Juri stared at him just like she was used to doing when it came to her students.

"Oh My, you can make me feel like if I've commited such a serious crime..." He withdrew his arm, immediately aiming it to the bottle of sake and wine he hadn't tasted yet. He was already rubbing his hands due to excitement.

He pretended not to see his daughter glaring at him for an istant, her frisky orbs slightly hidden by her long fluffy pigtails as she turned back.

Ruki noticed this little exchange too, noticing her daughter's weird attitude at the same time. Does she want to play and ignore him?, she asked herself, perplexed.

She had told her daughter about the proper way she should treat her pupil to let his icy heart slowly melt. Why was she acting like that?

What is she finding so interesting about her phone, when she has already got that gorgeous some centimetres apart from her? He's itching to get on her, as soon as this dinner finishes. Itsuki, look at him, at the way he's staring at you, c'mon girl! I can't do everything by myself!, she drummed her finger on the table, nervously.

She eventually gave up worrying about Itsuki -after having tried beckoning to him this time without no success- and started teasing Hirokazu again, the only thing she loved that could keep her from following her daughter's love life like some kind of fangirl.

"And to think you wanted to become like your beloved hero, Akiyama Ryou, when you were a child! Now you've ended up being beaten by your daughter so many times in a row!"

He was about to organize his thoughts and reply to her teasing, before Terriermon jumped onto the table, mischievously grinning. It's useless to say Jenrya was already grabbing it to put it down.

"I know you have been expecting Jen's long speech," It began, Jenrya mumbling something like, Nobody has asked me for that!. " But we do know Jen can drag it out too much, he likes babbling about stuff nobody of us understands...So, today I'm here to save you from this torture and let you rush upon that soup and steak immediately!"

The Digimon clapped its paws in jubilation, Guilmon copying its gestures, enthusiastic, while lots of giggles filled the atmosphere.

"P.S!" It startled the diners with an abrupt theatrical pose. "I love you all with my whole heart, but there are two subjects that are excluded from having this honour! Why have you invited them, Jen? Why? Masahiko could have replaced both so easily! If I had been the main house's owner - I'm the second in charge, do I have to remind you of that? -you two wouldn't have even allowed to cross the entrance door! Still, your Digimon are more than welcome because they admire me like two children! Now, let's eat!"

The silence eventually exploded into a pelting applause, which pushed Terriermon to puff its chest and show Yang and Makoto some Tai-chi pose, those ones it would always exaggerate and turn into little circus shows.

The two boys' faces looked almost petrified.

"How is it nobody loves us anymore?" Makoto slowly asked, his mouth slowly opening.

"Maybe-maybe it's what happens when you enter adults' world.." Yang answered, lowering his gaze because of how perfectly Makoto's question could describe that unpleasant period of his life.

Terriermon quickly approached one of the steaks, after having shared a high five with an amused Ruki. Still, one of its ears was soon pulled by a strong and familiar hand.

"Now, my dear friend, you'll wait for each of us to take our steak for first, and, remember, I'm the one who prepared everything you can see on the table."

Jenrya calmy put it on the floor like if it were a poodle, ignoring its complaints. The other Digimon were there, chatting animatedly; there was its adorated Lunamon too, which looked at it for a second and shook its head to show its disappointment.

"They are just like Atsuko and Hirokazu," Impmon and Guardramon stated in chorus.

The Digimon Tamers' special night flew in a blink of an eye, which is what would happen, whenever they were together. Every year they would get older, would spot grey hair on their heads, wouldn't be able to hold their liquor anymore - which was what Ruki liked highlighting -, but they friendship would get stronger and stronger.

During that night it was like if time didn't exist at all and they were stuck into immortal soap bubbles, which floated higher and higer and multiplied, as the wonderful moments among them became uncountable.

Itsuki randomly found herself wondering whether the Tear Jumpers would be the same in the future. She closed her eyes, the last piece of Juri and Takato's cake remained suspended in the air at the thought of her waiting for them to part: she liked thinking about that...Still, she couldn't help feeling a vice strangling her heart, whenever she imagined a future without such a mirth, the mirth that came from the realization to have spent so many years along your childhood friends.

She delicatedly touched her throat, while she was being sucked in that dream in which her Daiki didn't seem to fit in at all.

What a contradiction that period of her life was.

She finished eating her cake, savouring that sweetness that could take her back to her childhood, to those days she would drag both Yang and Makoto to the Matsuda Bakery. Why did those thoughts have to enter her mind?

She greeted her teeth, huffing because time didn't seem to never pass.

"Mako! I would marry you immediately, if you could bake delicious cakes just like the one of your parents' bakery!" She heard Atsuko cooing, her cheeks blushing and her orbs implicitly asking for more.

"No way! Women are the ones who should cook for men, wash the floors and use the washing machine or vacuum cleaner!"

That was Makoto's tactless and childish answer, which reached his mother's ears as fast as an arrow.

The blonde girl's eyebrows twitched.

"Oh Atsuko, may be you be patient with our boy, more patient than ever," Takato gently cracked a forced smile, preceding his lovely wife who would have willingly pulled one of their son's ears in front of his girlfriend and friends, if Kenta and Takato hadn't been there to calm her.

A sexist and homophobic son! This is what eighteen years of scoldings, tears, sweat have been useful to! , she was shouting in her mind.

"See? I've always told you we needed a daughter too," She finally brought herself to tell Ruki and Kenta. "He wouldn't have only learnt to share his toys but he would have also learnt to treat ladies properly."

The other woman thought what her friend had told her over, "If we had had a son," She stopped to drink a bit of wine. "I would have made him become a motorcrosser rider."

"Which is what you're basically doing with that scoundrel," Her husband sneaked into the women's conversation, since Takato had interrupted theirs to give some advices to Makoto, advices the boy would never accept, of course, especially because Atsuko was listening to everything. Ah, well, he was talking about his good old friend Takato, after all.

His wife's pouty expression staring at him violently made him return to facing her. He soon understood it was better if he joined Takato and the kids' - he still defined

them such - conversation, avoiding to joke with her and say his usual I had forgot we had a son too.

Therefore, he chose to turn to his daughter, disobeying to Ruki who had told him not to annoy her with his protective father attitude. Itsuki had been acting in a weird way lately, and he blinked at her nervously smiling at him, covering her belly with her arms, as if she was in pain, and nudging at Atsuko to make her pay attention to her.

What were they talking about? He was so curious, but he didn't want to be kicked by his wife.

He was another specimen of the masculine gender who wasn't getting the love he deserved that night, and he could only stare at Terriermon clowining around with its fellows, as another glass of wine and sake went down his throat without his daughter noticing...For that moment, at least.

Wow, that wine mixed with sake tasted so great, he licked his lips craving for more. He was glad Masahiko had finally done something really appreciable by bringing that wine at work. Who knew where he had taken it from, he was pretty suspicious about that, knowing the kind of man his colleague was, but he couldn't deny it was amazing, and he was sure about the fact his friends were liking it as well: they had been drinking it since the party had started.

"By the way, Ruki, I'm glad you didn't succeed at convincing Itsuki to follow in your footsteps," Kenta, whose hand was on the quite dismayed Juri's shoulder, confessed: she had suddenly felt the need to join her best friends at drinking sake and wine because of its sweet taste. Her husband was too focussed on finally telling their son and Yang about his upcoming manga, adding who knows how many weird details that pushed Yang and Makoto to stare at each other, puzzled.

Weren't the adults drinking too much?, That was the question that was arising in the four teenagers' mind.

"Oh, well, it's not like I ever tried," The ramen coloured-haired woman replied after a bit of time , taking into account alchool was quickly raising to her brain. Kenta's statement was making her laugh and she could't understand why (of course).

"I only tried making her wear very tight trousers, zipped bras..."

Jenrya gulped too heavily: he had heard something very wrong, but somehow he couldn't really figure out why he was so worried. He looked at the glass he was holding, perplexed, the expression that coloured Makoto and Yang's faces, when Takato and Masahiko made them taste alchool for the first time. He didn't agree about that at all.

"Yesterday I showed her a beautiful pair of high heeled boots, you know, those ones that look even better when you are only wearing your underwear...Or lingerie."

Itsuki's violet orbs grew wide and her tanned skin seemed to become pale. She immediately gained an appropriate pose.

"Mommy!" She fought against the embarassment. "What are you t-talking about?!" Still, her mother wasn't listening at her at all: she kept on laughing at herself, hiccuping.

Her head quickly turned to Yang and Makoto, and their agape expressions made her lightly shiver.

"Itsuki, is she serious? Do you dress up like a... You've completely lost it!"

"L-Lee-Kun! What the-!"

She heard, but it was only her imagination that liked playing with her.

Fortunately, Atsuko already knew everything about her mother and...The strange ideas she often came up with. Those were so often the subjects of their friendly chats during which they would laugh only at the mention of certain objects and clothes Ruki adored showing her daughter.

In the middle of her imaginary paranoia, the girl decided she had to find a way to cover those shameful words everyone had just heard.

Therefore, she prepared to ask the man she trusted the most for help; she needed to turn the adorable and pure deer's eyes mode on.

"Daddy, she's joking, you already know that, don't ya?"

Her hands flew to his sweater's fabrics, tugging it like she used to do when she was a child, but there was something off with him.

Why isn't he paying attention to me?! He isn't listening to me at all! He hasn't even turned! Dad?!

She had begun sweating, frantically moving her head from a side to the other, inspecting every adult's face.

"Aunt Juri?" She tried again, rasing her voice to be heard. Her voice needed to make its way among that river of laughters.

When the woman seemed to have noticed her, Itsuki greeted the woman with one of her widest smiles...Which didn't mean to last long, as the woman only intended to reach out and open another bottle of that wine-sake. Wasn't her younger brother so great at choosing alchool?

"Ruki-Chan, you've made me remind

of when I gave you advices about lingerie stuff! Oh! And the toys? Do you remember about the toys?" She giggled uncontrollably, politely covering her mouth.

"Mum?!" Makoto leaned forward, standing up and reaching his mother. "Why will you never let me surf on those sites, then!"

"Oh, little Mako is growing up!" Hirokazu caressed his arm, the only reply he got (and, of course, Makoto got away from him as quickly as possible, quite disgusted).

It was like if they had ended up in some kind of nightmarish circus, both Itsuki and Makoto realized, sweat dropping on their foreheads.

Then, even Yang and Atsuko's soul became a frozen stalactite at what they heard after a bunch of seconds.

"Oh yes, then you would show me that stuff whenever we went to bed! Every night it was something new! So, Juri was behind it all? Takato, you were such a lucky bastard."

Obviously, it was so weird to hear such words coming from the most composed man they had ever met. Jenrya Lee talking about that stuff? It was something so overwordly, maybe even more than that for a certain poor dark-haired girl.

"D-daddy?" She could only say in that situation, her mouth suspended in the air just like her peers'. The temptation to make him get far away from that glass was hard for her to sustain.

"So...What Mum always says is true..?" She blushed evidently, putting a hand in front of her lips, as her orbs seemed to tremble. "Daddy and Mummy...Doing that stuff...Daddy doing that stuff..."

She shook her head, clenching her fists at Makoto mocking her through a mere wince.

"You're dating that meathead, but you become as red as a pepper when you discover your pure parents also did that years ago!"

His laughters joined the general ruckus, as he gave some powerful pats on Yang's shoulder: needless to say the Chinese boy was experiencing something more than embarassment.

"Weren't ya the one who ran to your mother moments ago because you discovered your mother used to buy kinky objects?!" Itsuki barked: suddenly, it had strangely become too hot.

"Mako Darling, you are still a little and pure bud, " Atsuko's pungent statement followed. She also sneered him, when his puffy cheeks got the same reddish colour that was melting Itsuki's' face's skin.

"As if! I-I'm not a child anymore, and I have no problems at imagining my parents- Uhm...Whatever, Yang agrees with me, right, buddy?"

"Y-y-yes... I mean, it's similar to sneaking into your sister's bedroom and randomly spotting her and her boyfriend...Him on her..."

It was a very comical picture that had been brought to life in front of Itsuki and Atsuko's eyes; a comedic picture that was into another funny and bigger one, one of them underlined in her mind.

There was Yang whose eyes seemed to have almost lost their breath of life, as he struggled to remember about that day he saw what he should have never seen -that's how his sister and her boyfriend called that accident, adding that he wouldn't even reach the end of his last high school year, if he told his father about that ( it wasn't like the man would have really cared about such an event, though, in Yang's opinion).

Then there was Makoto who was gradually drowning into complete awkwardness.

"You're boys, you are eighteen-year-old boys. Yet, you got scandalized when you find out your parents and relatives are human. Me and It-Chan are more mature than you."

How was it Atsuko and Itsuki

were that skilled at making them feel like two idiots? Still, Atsuko didn't manage to notice Itsuki was fighting against the disbelief she was feeling.

Everyone had got drunk, the dark-haired girl could look at the diners in complete horror, taking into account even her kind Uncle Takato had fallen into the wine's trap. Everything had happened in a blink of an eye, she couldn't understand how that could have happened.

Where were the Digimon? Had they gone to the kitchen's veranda to manage to talk in peace?

The only one who didn't seem to have lost his common sense was Uncle Kenta, but he was sitting at the opposite edge of the table. He would have never heard her and she would have to stand up and show her top, which was something she wanted to avoid doing.

She gave a glance at her phone, the nth one of the night: it was eleven o'clock, an hour and she would free from that madhouse. Nevertheless, what if her drunk parents didn't let her go out due to their precarious state? What a mess!, she wanted to bite her nails because of nervousness.

"In truth, Ruki, I was talking about your nails. If It-Chan had become a motorcrosser, then, she would have had such untreated hands!" Kenta pointed at Ruki's nails that were far from the ones you'd imagine a beautiful woman like her would have. He was aware she was drunk. He was drunk as well, but he knew his limits and he was the one who could hold his liquor for the longest time. After all, he would be the one who took her and Juri back home, whenever the others were hammered.

"I know you've been at the manicure again, Kenta. You're so gay, boy, putting creams and lotions whenever you have to go out or go to bed!" She had started hiccuping, which was something that was amusing Hirokazu so much...Just like the topic they were talking about, if that verb is the right one that should be used.

"Oh, Darling, you could hella use a manicure too! Those hands haven't seen lotion in a while, haven't they?"

Kenta had already leaned forward to touch her callous hands and caress her candid skin with his usual thoughtful manners .

Nevertheless, a random gesture by Ruki ruined his intention, and Kenta could only sigh and gain his perfect sitting pose once more.

Hirokazu finally found a way to fit himself in the conversation. It didn't last so long, though...Indeed, it lasted a blink of an eye.

"Neh, Ruki-Chan! Your hands want a little message?" He joked, his face turning into the creepiest expression Atsuko had ever seen in her life.

She was slowly boiling.

"Doubt you dare to touch me or those dirty nails will be in your eyes!"

The woman imitated an irritated cat that had already unsheated its dangerous claws, and the man fell on his chair, blatantly scared. Who knew what alchool was making him seez: maybe a lioness that was about to jump onto him.

"Anyway, Kenta, I can't really fight that," She gently leaned her head on her husband's shoulder, the wine-sake glass still in her hand. "The motorbike is not easy to repair!" Jen, tell them! Tell them about some nights ago!"

"Some nights ago, Honey?" The man repeated, uncertain about what he had to say. This time it wasn't alchool that was making him forget something.

Since he was unable to remember, he began staring at the wall, as he absently passed a hand through his daughter's hair.

The girl was near to being exasperated. She kept on calling her father without success: he continued and continued caressing her, her hands joint and her eyes intending to convey awkwardness.

"Oh, My, Jen. You're becoming too old. Leave it me. Basically, some days ago I accepted a request by a stupid Daddy's Boy. Hm, he wanted to buy one of my paintings because he was convinced his fiancèe would like it. So, he forced me to deliver this painting, even though it was pouring down. My motorbike eventually gave up on the way back."

"And you remained with your butt on the road?" Hirokazu dared to ask a Ruki that immediately thundered him with her glance.

"No, I didn't even hitchhike like your lame disco ladies would do."

"What did ya do, Mum?" Itsuki had strangely found herself being interested in that compelling story, even if she could swear she could hear the tick of every clock they had in their house. Time was running, despite the fact minute was feeling like an eternity in her mind.

Everyone's attention had been drawn by Ruki.

"I took my jacket off under the rain - I cursed every God of every religion, especially the one that dude believed in - and I literally dragged it to the emergency lane and-"

"And?" Someone pushed.

"And I repaired it by myself, putting my hands in the some gears I didn't even know they existed. Then, yes yes, a patrol came and showed me how sexist this world is by telling me I were to go out of that zone immediately because I had made a huge mess, there was smoke everywhere...He told me it was a man's job, can you believe it?!"

"Mommy...Did ya tell him...?"

"I told him to go fuck himself just like the whole world, of course. He took some points off my driving licence, no big deal, but I think they'll send some kind of letter home. Oh, who cares, right?"

Itsuki had already predicted something like that. She sighed, finally being able to get freed of her father's arms, feeling his tense muscles. Probably, alchool had stopped circling in his veins, allowing him to understand the one her mother had found herself into was a pretty bad situation. A fine would be sent to their family because of her mother's antics.

He would never-

She almost fell from her chair.

"Are ya laughing?! Are ya really laughing?! Dad!" She forgot about covering her belly and used her hands to grab her perfectly combed hair, as laughters pierced her ears again.

What was worse was that even Makoto and Yang were laughing.

Those jerks! There she was again, thinking about them.

She massaged her temples to let herself rationally think like she usually did, blood pulsing almost painfully.

The diners were commenting about Ruki's brave adventure, commending her and clapping their hands.

Alchool's effects on people are strange, she did know that. Daiki usually got drunk, after all, even though ice skaters weren't supposed to fall into that kind of temptation. Still, seeing her parents and their friends in that state was destabilising her so much.

"Ah, we're so drunk I can't believe it," Takato muttered, a peaceful smile entering in contrast with the words he had just pronounced.

"It kinda reminds me of when you drank so much you started flirting with me," Jenrya fleered.

"That was your eighteenth birthday!" Juri chirped.

"My beloved Takato experiencing hangover for the first time," Ruki absently recollected, and Makoto's stunned red eyes suddenly gained a spark of malice.

Actually, if Itsuki had to be sincere, it was pretty strange Makoto had left his usual self for a while, showing himself as a lost boy in front of his wasted parents. The Makoto she had known since she was a child would have exploited that situation in his favour.

"What was Dad's hangover like?" He asked Ruki like if he still was a child. Who knew how many times he would use the discoveries he would hear to threaten his parents.

"Oh well, let me think. He seemed to have grown to like the pub's WC more than Juri because he started doing something like making out with it. Oh!" She gulped the last drop of wine-sake she had in her glass. "However, when Juri showed up with her kitty suit, he immediately returned to the Earth!"

He really couldn't find words to describe what he had just heard. He could only stare at his parents, especially at his mother, his red eyes digging into her unconscious to try seeking out this side of hers he had never got to meet.

"Mum, were you a damned Playboy bunny?!" He eventually brought herself to spat, his mother and father got horrified, while Hirokazu had started laughing like an obsessed.

"Oh Gods," Atsuko would have liked to incinerate him with her glares.

She couldn't imagine her father...Could reach such low levels of decency.

"Ma-Mako, aren't things get of hand?" Yang stuttered. Hirokazu was creeping him out, just like the whole event.

And to think I should have expected this shit back when Matsuda-San told me and Makoto there wouldn't be brakes this time due to that sake.

Don't tell Lee-Senpai about this! The man lowered his voiced not to be heard. But the folk who sold me this sake said it is able to awaken the young sprits that have fallen asleep in our bodies. Senpai and my precious sister need a bit of enjoyment, right? They're always working and getting older before the estabilished time! I want to send them to Heaven with this sake! Oh, I wish I could have come!

A kind movement softly broke in that ruckus and Yang's recollections. After having cleaned her mouth with a tissue, Atsuko shifted and stood up without being somehow noticed by the adults.

"At-Chan!" A hand grabbed her arm, determinedly yet delicatedly at the same time. "At-Chan, where do you think you're going?"

Makoto was already in panick: he was feeling guilty for everything that had happened that night but he couldn't express it properly.

"At-Chan!" He tried again.

"Don't worry, Darling, I just need some fresh air."

And she went away, not forgetting to wink at Itsuki because of who knew what reason.

"Yang!" Makoto proceeded to whine and grab the other boy's arm. He shook it, which is something the boy hated. "Yang, she's mad at me, I know it. Haven't you seen her eyes? She's mad!"

Nevertheless, Yang's orbs had happened to meet Itsuki's for a second, and he couldn't help but sit still for a while, despite the earthquake Makoto was generating on his body. He had already reached his neck, and was shaking it too.

"Yang! Are you dumb or what?!"

Oh, wasn't it beautiful how much she looked like a kid at that moment, the black-haired boy told himself in awe. Itsuki's frown, her trembling lower lip, her eyes conveying discomfort reminded him of what Itsuki used to be like as a child. That one was the Itsuki he really loved, the one who had taught him japanese without mocking him due to his stuttering, the one who never hid her true self.

He had to help her somehow, he felt a jet of bravery making his heart beating faster. The Itsuki he was affectionate to was still there, wasn't she?

Therefore, he slammed his hand on the table and stupidly raised his hand in the air just like students do.

"By the way, Ruki-San, you're-you're very cool! Maybe the coolest woman I have ever met! Y-you're also able to take care of your motorbike in such troubling circumstances! It's phenomenal!"

Everyone knows peace will always arrive after a thunderstorm, the waves of the sea will calm down and the trees will stop dangerously sway.

That was what happened after Yang had spoken up: the diners' laughters had faded just like Makoto's whims. He didn't think twice before turning his head to look at Itsuki, managing to grin at her...No, he hadn't drunk anything, it was just love that was sending him into a dreamy hangover he would soon wish he could escape from.

Everything seemed to have eased off...But Yang was way too young to win against the drunk Digimon Tamers.

"Is that some kind of way to flirt with an older woman?" Hirokazu began, shrieking when he saw a huge spot spreading on his t-shirt, which wasn't so suited to the winter weather.

"What the hell are you doing?! He growled at Kenta, who was the one who had done that; alchool had eventually seized him as well. "Don't you know my Honey has to run the flower shop and she can't really wash my shirts?!"

"And she has to deal with you too. I pity that woman," Ruki nonchalantly shrugged.

No, that wasn't a night for men and boys at all.

Yang did realize it when Ruki's violet eyes seemed to glow, while he was silently reminding himself he should never talk, never.

"Neh, Hirokazu, can you see what a loyal apprentice have I raised?" She cockily stated, giving Jen a swift kick, when he let a I would rather call him your son come out his mouth.

"He will become your only son-in-law soon," She whispered with a silly smirk on her face to a puzzled Jen.

"Wait, what does that even mean," Some unconscious force pushed him to turn to Itsuki after having pronounced that question without intonation. Fortunately for the girl who hadn't heard anything, alchool was able to make everything that passed through his mind fade.

"What you've just heard, my Dear," Ruki continued. "Anyway, Yang has kicked-start this night for real, because I'm going to show you all something that will make you old men rejuvenate!"

She winked at the boy, who was taking in consideration to invent an excuse and run away from that loony bin, and headed for a huge chest of drawers. In a blink of an eye she had found a thick book that looked like the Yellow Pages ones.

Itsuki almost choked due to her own saliva, when she understood that wasn't a book but it was a pile of magazines.

"Oh My, Mummy, no!"

Those were magazines Itsuki knew well.

Ruki slammed it onto the table ignoring her friends and the younger diners' expressions.

"So, I've recently found these magazines at my Mum's house. I don't know if I told you all before, but I've been a model for this motorcrosser magazine. C'mon, take a look at these photos!"

The drunk Jen heavily gulped at the sight of a twenty-year-old Ruki looking at him with a pair of seductive eyes that were already ensnaring him.

"This is," He coughed. "The kind of entertainment I needed, when you left for America."

He caressed the picture in a daze, as the others leafed through the others' magazines pages.

"I want these high heeled boots!" Juri cooed, not asking herself how a motocrosser was supposed to wear those.

"Man, look at these abs, girl! They rock!" Hirokazu pointed at a picture that was taken in summer: Ruki was wearing a pair mimetic trousers, a short jacket and...

She's wearing a zipped bra, my Gods! Her tongue is out and it seems like if she's about to-, Itsuki shook her head in desperation. "I don't want to see my mother like this! Please, stop!"

She abandoned her head on the table, refusing to look at her father too, even though her eyes could fully see what Yang and Makoto were doing in front of those pictures.

They are disgusting, c'mon.

"Ohi, ya two! That's my mother! Stop drooling like two perverts!"

"She wasn't your mother back when she was this hot!" Makoto barked back.

"Hot..." Yang echoed, blood raising to his cheeks in the process. Did these kinds of magazines really exist?, he couldn't help but wonder. Would he be considered a mentally ill type, if he started buying them?

Like, Dad secretly buys magazines about flight attendants in weird poses once a week, why couldn't I?

He blinked when someone got the magazine out of Makoto's and his sight.

"What in the hell are you doing?!" The coconut coloured-haired boy snarled.

"Y-yeah, give it back, please," Yang begged and it grossed Itsuki out so much.

"This is porn, ya diseased minds! This is my mum on some porn magazine and y're liking it! I'm disgusted!"

"You're just jelous you're not this hot, It-Chan! Give it back!" Makoto spilled and Itsuki felt like giving him a punch and escaping.

Still, she had to deal with her mother and father before doing that. Therefore, she merely took the magazines away from them, disgusted by a glimpse at another photo featuring her mother standing next to a motorbike, oil attached to her skin and shining under the Sun.

"Yuck!" She acclerated, immediately reaching her father and got him far away from his magazine too. "Now, Mommy, take this rubbish away!" Maybe she was referring to the wine and sake too. "What have you taken these for?!"

Her mother lied forward to randomly hug her, "For you, of course. Have you seen this tight stuff? Wouldn't it-?"

"No, it wouldn't, Mum. He is not the creep ya think he is! He is so sweet ya have no idea!"

"Oh oh, It, we will see."

Itsuki didn't really have so much time to even raise her eyebrow, confused: one of her worst nightmare took shape in front of her eyes.

"Hey, boy!" She called Yang and raised her magazine. "Wouldn't you immediately become a man, if It-Chan showed up wearing this stuff?"

Nobody in that room could really describe either Jen's and Itsuki's expressions.

Yang couldn't really bring himself to speak, but he could only cover his mouth in embarassment, images he would have never wanted to think about filled his mind. Indeed, he never thought his mind could come up with such scenarios at all.

Everyone's eyes were on him, especially Jen's. Uncountable weird feelings flooded him.

"Yang boy, everyone has got their fetishes," Hirokazu bursted into another unbridled laughter. "Takato likes kitty girls, Jen liked knocking down my sex dolls, my best friend's son likes porn sites, while you...Like imagining our It-Chan wearing kinky motorcrosser stuff."

"And what's your fetish, Hirokazu?" Ruki teased him.

"Of course, staring at the butts and boobs of the girls who come to the disco. You know, those seemed to dance along with those sexy chicks!"

Itsuki, whose arms were around her mother's waist to try stopping her, felt like her heart could escape from her chest sooner or later. Instead, the Chinese boy's ears had turned into a train's chimney.

"Ohoh, did you get hot down there, boy?" Hirokazu continued and Yang would have liked to turn into sand at that moment. Itsuki was disgusted, yeah, he knew it.

"T-t-his is wrong! This is so-so wrong I could die right now!" He finally exploded, his imagination still running wild.

"This is more than wrong," A firm voice repeated and a sharp sound soon resounded in the room.

"Watch out while you're staring at other women's breasts. You may magically get your own pair without even noticing."

The woman who was standing next to Hirokazu drew back her hand, her heavy winter coat seemed to be protecting her from the weird atmosphere she could breathe in that room besides the biting smell that was laced with her husband's words.

"That hurt! What have I done to deserve this?"

She refused to give him a reply, her hand shaking and her eyebrows twitching due to her nervousness.

"Ohi, Hana! Have you come to pick him up like a kindergarten child?" Ruki bawled, not realizing the fact the woman had entered their house without permission.

Itsuki was the only member of the Lee family that had noticed that, despite the waves of feelings she was experiencing.

Her father hadn't either. He just sat still, repeating if someone had happened to hear doorbell ringing before. In truth, that was what happened and Atsuko had been the one who had opened the door.

"I expected we would end up like this tonight," The woman sighed, resigned, as she touched her short spiky hair. "C'mon, let me carry you."

Yeah, resignation was what had conquered the woman's soul, while she attempted to make Hirokazu stand up. There was no need to get mad at him, she reasoned. Her slap may have been too harsh at the beginning, but she had been washed over by her daughter's desperate calling. Mother and daughter had to collaborate in order to deal with that rogue, they both were aware about that fact.

"C'mon, stand up," Hana began saying while so many eyes were wolfing down every action she was doing. "C'mon, Hirokazu, let's go to bed."

Had she just said she didn't have to get mad at him, perhaps? She could choke on her words: after all, nobody would have helped her, Kenta seemed a little tipsy too. She wasn't really surprised, she mentally repeated.

While her mother's shouts seemed to wake up the diners from their dizziness, Atsuko put her coat on and grinned, satisfied, at Itsuki who had approached her.

"Did you do this for me, At-Chan?"

The light coloured-haired girl proceeded to put her warm hat on.

"Of course. Knowing that dumb man, this party would have never ended. He could have started talking about the sex dolls he used to give your father or that day he wore his boxers on his head. Nobody would have wanted to listen to those stories, especially me. Ah, Daddy is my responsability!" There was an affectionate vein in the last statement that had been pronounced by the girl.

Certainly, the Tamers completely forgot about those courtesies that someone who has been invited at dinner should stick to. On the contrary, everyone left dishes and glasses on the table of the Lee household's living room. The owners didn't even pay attention to that, but they gave life to a pretty grottesque picture thanks to the uncoordinated and inelegant hugs they were sharing with their friends. Hana had decided to join that chain of thanks and bye byes too, struggling to bear Hirokazu's weight on her shoulder.

"Why were we born in such families with such friends?" Atsuko pouted, but immediately smiled when she felt Makoto's hands hugging her from behind.

"Oh, Mako-Chan would have never met you, At-Chan!"

Itsuki felt another dagger piercing her chest, as soon as she found herself dwelling on thinking about a world in which she had never met her friends. Would have she liked it? She couldn't really believe she was even asking herself something like that.

Makoto had completely abandoned himself in that strange embrace that could only make Atsuko laugh and push Yang to wince; he was afraid of rising his head to meet a certain someone's violet orbs.

"Sorry for everything I said, ok? I don't want you to stop liking flowers because your love for them is what truly makes you beautiful," He said as quickly as a train, glad that she hadn't escaped from the party due to his words. She was the only one who could make him feel as ashamed and embarassed as he was feeling at that moment. Her silent yet warm caressed worsened the situation, since the coat he had just put on had started making him sweating.

"So, It-Chan , let's go. Don't you want to be late, do you?" Atsuko eventually told Itsuki, who had started staring in the space. Her ligh jacket was still in her tanned hands.

"Hm, shouldn't we help them?" She quietly asked, before being pulled by her best friend, who wanted to get away from that place and that night as soon as possible.

What and who did Itsuki want to quickly run away from?

XXX

"Finally, some fresh air!" Makoto inhaled two seconds before a truck whizzed in front of them, leaving a dark smoke in the air. "Whatever, It-Chan, don't you think your parents exaggerated with the heaters? Man, my chair felt like a furnace!"

Itsuki didn't answer at all, her contorted mind had completely absorbed her present, forcing her to live in her complex thoughts. She really wanted Makoto and Yang to disappear from her life, she was horrified by herself, by her darkened soul...But she didn't really feel like talking about that matter to anyone, which was something rare for a cheerful girl like her.

It wasn't like she could really bring herself to face Yang after what her mother had said, couldn't she? Wasn't it better if she could leave Tokyo as soon as she could? She would have started her new life without constantly thinking about how awful he was making her feel by having showed up with one of her closest friends at the prom and having willingly danced with her, despite how many times she herself had asked him to do that.

He would always refuse, whenever I ask him for a dance! Then, why did he accept to dance with her? What does she have that I don't? Most of all, why do I care about something about that while I have already got a boyfriend who does look at me like if I was the first thing he has ever laid his eyes on?

"It-Chan? It-Chan, are you listening to us? Are you still stunned because of our parents being drunk?"

"No, she isn't, idiot. She isn't even thinking about that, I assure you!" Atsuko hastily answered Makoto and approached her friend, quite excited. "Have you already planned what you're going to do?"

Oh right, she had to go out with Daiki. And to think she was looking forward to that some hours, indeed, minutes before.

"Hm, I think we'll go to some pub. It's pretty cold here."

Her arms uncounsciously slipped to cover her belly due to that night's temperature, as her faint voice made Atsuko realize she couldn't understand what her friend was thinking about.

The other two Tear Jumpers couldn't either, even though Yang could clearly see Itsuki was trembling, despite the fact his scarf was fully covering his mouth and nose, slightly directing its fabric to his eyes too.

He hated cold, that March was too cold for his tastes, but that night his scarf and hat were mostly useful to cover how much flushed his face still looked. He didn't care about the freezing weather at all at that moment. He just wanted to think about whatever he wanted, avoiding talking to Makoto or teasing him about what he had told Atsuko back when they were about to go out.

He didn't feel like doing nothing but thinking and was looking forward to doing that on his ride back home.

Still, Itsuki's shaking figure was unbearable for him to see and was what pushed him to want not to immediately follow Makoto and Atsuko's decision to go back home.

That Daiki was leaving her freezing and he was late, wasn't he?

"Mako, let's go home. My feet are becoming two chunks of ice!"

"I want to wait for that knave and make him understand one thing or two!"

Atsuko grabbed his hand, tightening her grip to higlight how much rubbish he could come up with in a single day.

"Man, what are you waiting for? Do you want to become a penguin or what?" Makoto grinned at him, making his reddish eyes shine under the pale light of the poles.

"No, I-," He really didn't know what to say, he realized lowering his head. He didn't want to lie to him, but he really couldn't admit he already knew those two would stop somewhere and...Starting making out.

"C'mon, let's go to the arcades!" The boy insisted.

"Wait, weren't we going back home?" The pigtailed girl protested. She just wanted to cuddle with her boyfriend to warm that night, and now he wanted to go the arcades with that rascal!

"At-Chan, we'll go back home after the arcades, of course! We aren't students anymore, and Yang and me have got an unfinished business to deal with! Right, buddy? We have to smash those blowhards who beat us at Dogfights."

Atsuko didn't really want to repeat how stupid their past times were.

"Why don't you use your money for something more useful?" She blinked to look as cute and pure as possible. "You can take me to a cafe' and we could have a hot chocolate. It-Chan! You and Daiki can join us after a while! That would be perfect! Oh please, Mako, please, Darling!"

It's not like Makoto could refuse his sweetheart's proposes, but he didn't absolutely want that boy to go along with them. He had finally realized he was making Itsuki wait, and his hatred for him grew even more.

"Hm, we'll take in consideration your offer, At-Chan," The violet-eyed girl finally replied, a flush had strangely appeared on her cheeks.

She was too quiet, a shadow of herself, Yang frowned, but he didn't and couldn't imagine Itsuki's mind had become a maze of abhorrence, regrets and horror. Memories had turned into fearful pincers, as her world, the one that had been surrouding her since she was a kid, was becoming a grabber.

She didn't want to go with them. Why were they waiting there in the first place? What they were waiting for?

"Hey, It-Chan! Text me, if you come!"

What will become of her when she becomes her shadow?, Yang wondered, a weird feeling driving him to grabbing her hand before Atsuko's incredulous expression, as if the Itsuki he had known for ages could disappear at any moment.

"You...Y-You could come with us and we could, like, share a cake together!" He slightly pushed aside his scarf, like if it was essential to do that in order to convey his feelings to her.

"But I'm waiting for Daiki-Chan!" She entered into an argument with her own true wishes by saying that. Atsuko shouted her same reply to Yang, her hat slightly slipping on her forehead as Makoto unusually stayed in silence.

"But-But ehy! We could wait for him there, you could share the cake with me, and, well, you wouldn't freeze out here, at least!"

"I've already eaten a cake today!" Itsuki talked back, her gaze aiming to the horizon, hoping to see Daiki soon.

"You've never cared about this stuff..."

"I care about it now, what's the problem with ya, Yang, honestly!"

"I'll pay the cake for you too, and-and we'll choose the chocolate cake, your favourite one! W-who knows what will happen when...We'll part ways for real..."

She ended up violently parting from his gloved hands, a weird heat taking over her face and her body after some seconds. Why was he acting like that after everything he had done...? Did he like playing with her feelings so much?

An unconscious question arose in her head: wasn't she the one who liked playing with feelings?

Two caring gloved hands caressed her cheeks and her orbs finally shone like they were supposed to be.

"Babe!"

The newcomer let himself take some time to gain the ordinary pace of his breath, and he scratched his head at the realization Itsuki and him weren't alone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to have made you wait, apple of my eye," He encircled Itsuki's waist, before leaning his green eyes on the trio that was in front of him. "And thank you all to have waited with her! Apparently, the underground had some kind of problem! Honestly, thank you so much!"

He proceeded to plant a tender kiss on Itsuki's reddish cheek, making her shiver like an autumnal leaf.

There wasn't anything else to do, their stares were enough for everyone of them to understand it was better if their roads splitted.

At that point Atsuko could only cautiously grab Yang's arm, still holding her quite perplexed sweetheart's hand on the other side, feeling the pain the boy's heart was feeling for the first time.

What a night, she thought, somehow hearing the Tamers' laughters from Itsuki's apartment: their parents wouldn't go back home, yeah, it was blatant. Maybe her mother had fallen into that hell too.

"I've never liked eating chocolate cakes, who cares," The boy muttered under his scarf, while the handsome lad and Itsuki got far away from them and the cafe' they intended to go to.

"What have you done tonight, gorgeous?" Daiki asked in the distance, his wheat-coloured hair somehow reminding Itsuki of Atsuko's locks.

"Hm, so much stuff," She paused, taking into account Daiki's coat was feeling too cold against her skin.

There was too much wind that night, she stared at a red flyer being carried away by the gust of wind. Probably, it belonged to some new restaurant that had just opened, but her mind had landed somewhere else, as if her thoughts had been caught by a strong current, dragging them to that prom night she hated with all her might and on a certain girl's red dress.

That red flyer was dancing just like Naomi did that night, Itsuki thought in awe: it gracefully twirled and swayed, occasionally swelling just like the gown of the dress.

"Red," Her voice sounded just like the wind that night: silent yet powerful into its inner being.

There were so many red things she knew: Makoto's red eyes, Yang's favourite clothes, her precious Mihoshi's beloved ribbons, Atsuko's poppies, Naomi's dress...And the wine-sake her parents and their friend had drunk and were still drinking.

"Neh, Daiki, would you ever mix sake with wine?" She laughed, as she let her fever take over her and herself lie her head on Daiki's arm.

Had Takato and Juri put sake and wine in the cake too?

XXX

Masahiko chuckled in front of how predictable Jenrya Lee was: of course, he would find the keys to his apartment under the doormat.

Still, that really wasn't a matter to laugh about, the young man did know about that.

"What has happened here?!" He opened his mouth at the sight of that mess: dishes and pots on the table, rugs that were upside down, and some bottles on the floor.

He recognized the empty dark one he found next to the sofa, on which a bunch of people were fallen asleep.

"Geez, where have Ai and Makoto bought this thing from?"

He couldn't help but laugh hard in front of that mess; it looked like if they had played truth or dare with that bottle, driving everyone crazy with some weird requests, like, apparently, making Hirokazu wear his boxers on his head or forcing Takato to hug his Senpai or something like that -their poses were quite ambiguous-.

"Oh My Gods," He laughed even louder, noticing his Senpai had a sort of sentence written on his face, Soon to be happy father-in-law .

He could recognize whose that untidy and clumsy handwriting belonged to. He just couldn't see that ball of fur anywhere, even though it should have been drawn by the box of donuts he was carrying. Probably, even Terriermon freaked out because of the weird behaviour the humans had adopted the night before.

Masahiko sighed, quite amused, putting his hands on the hips as his nut coloured-orbs scanned that bizzarre yet relaxing scenario, repeating to himself how much he would have liked to be there and see his Senpai and his friends acting like a bunch of savages. Those walls had seen so much that night, he thought, before cracking a smile because of a reason he couldn't really understand.

"Maybe something is missing..." He reasoned, before deciding to cover the sleeping adults with a blanket that was about to fall from the sofa.

It can help them overcome that hangover with its warmth, he thought opening the entrance door to let the group sleep in peace, writing an invisible list of what he should do in the following hours.

"I should search for the kids, since they aren't here and it's quite weird. Then, I should look for Terriermon: I mean who know what it could be up to! After that..."

He closed the door, a bottle that hadn't been opened yet in his arms, and he took in consideration the idea to thank Makoto and Aki for that weird gift, as he dialed a number on his phone.

"Hey, Shaochung! Would you like some sake mixed with wine?"

The curse would be meant to continue.


	15. Chapter 15

[ • 11 In which new bonds are born thanks to Itsuki setting off a chain reaction. However there's room for Mihoshi and Ran to show up and bring troubles along with themselves. ]

Seeing her acting like that was an alarm bell and they did know that, having spent every day along with her for a year.

"Go ahead."

"N-no, go ahead!"

"Could you two shut up?!"

Yang and Makoto, who had been nudging at each other with increasing violence since recess had started, stood to attention at Atsuko's irritated order. Needless to say they had got to know her perfectly too. Back when Fate had turned her into a Tamer, she introduced herself as a reserved and quite frail girl; still it was enough for her to get used to her new life to show her true side: the side of an incredibly clever and witty child, the side of a calculating mind that was able to come up with ingenious plans, the side of a sadistic despot, Yang would have liked to add to that list.

"Do you think she's ill?" Makoto breathed, putting a hand on her shoulder, but she harshly avoided his touch.

"Still...If she had got flu, L-Lunamon would have perceived it," Yang underlined, turning to Lunamon which was panicking because it couldn't seem to understand why its Tamer was so down and quiet. Quiet, that was the worst adjective someone could use to describe Itsuki: when it was applied to her, it meant the situation was serious.

Atsuko found herself silencing them for the nth time, before kneeling and sighing: she was too tired of being on all fours to check Itsuki from afar. That day during the second period she had been dragged to the corridor by Makoto in the middle of the lesson and he had confessed her and Yang he thought something was extremely wrong with Itsuki. If she had to be sincere with herself, she hadn't believed him at the beginning (unlike Yang), taken into account how many times the two boys had vainly grown worried about the blue-haired girl in the past. Still, when she talked to Itsuki that morning, she could feel like if joy had stopped circulating in her friend's veins.

"There must be an explanation," She finally muttered, considering to ask Itsuki about what had happened. However, the trio was aware it would be useless, since she was so great at hiding her suffering behind her smiles. "Hm, may it be connected to what happened last Friday?"

Makoto and Yang looked at each other, bending their heads.

"You're nuts, At-Chan! If she was feeling down because of that, she would have refused to come to the bakery last Saturday!"

"S-she would have refused eating the chocolate cake too...Instead, she ate three slices, mine too."

Oh, they had a point. She hated admitting that, but they were right. That made sense, she thought, remembering the Itsuki of that night smiling and laughing uncontrollably, gorging on Mastuda Bakery's delicacies.

Then, why had she fallen in that blantant depressed state?

"Ehm, what are you playing, Atsuko-Chan?"

"We're not playing!" She replied, kinda nervously...But to whom?

Atsuko raised her head and found herself staring at a pair of big, almond-shaped dark eyes which were framed by soft clouds of wavy brown hair.

"Na-Naomi?!" She stuttered, a hand flied in front of her mouth, while the other one had quickly procedeed to press itself against Makoto's. Actually, he had already begun shouting and rudely poiting his finger at the newcomer. "Ah...What am I playing? Let's see..."

Her pale face had suddenly got a red shade and she could feel drops of sweat slowly falling on her forehead. The same reaction could be read on Yang's face, but he couldn't understand why he was feeling like that; on the contrary, Atsuko was aware about the reason why she was suddenly feeling like the whole world was going to collapse on her body and crash it and its bones.

"I...I..." She tried, but she could only think about a word, Horror. That was her worst nightmare: every effort of hers had been thrown into some bin. She had been able not to be spotted by her and her other friends during a year of elementary school, and, now that middle school had just opened its doors, she had already miserably failed.

Naomi seeing me with Yang and Makoto! Now she will tell Ayane, Shinobu and Rei about the fact I've been spending my free time with two boys...And what boys! The horror, the horror, she repeated in her mind, her hands holding her cheeks and her head shaking almost on its will.

Naomi looked at her, blatantly confused, but never abandoning her graceful posture: she managed to keep her back perfectly straight without putting too much effort into doing that, her hands were so often on her hips and her chin was always up, giving her the air of a girl who was full of herself and extremely confident.

The poses she assumed from time to time made her seem a sort of swordswoman, a sort of musketeer, Yang absently imagined and he didn't realize he was staring at her too much.

"What is it?" She paid him attention for a moment, making him lower his gaze, embarassed. It would have been nice if he could have opened his mouth to tell her about how much he had loved her latest performance. "Anyway, Atsuko-Chan, where is Itsuki?" She turned back to Atsuko, who was still attempting to invent excuses.

"Itsuki, you say? Ah, she's there," The light-haired girl aimed her powerless index to the curb Itsuki was sitting on: she couldn't see them as they were hidden behind a bench that was on the little hill descending to their school's tennis pitch.

"Thank you!" Naomi chirped at her, giving a curious glance to the peluche Lunamon was pretending to be, and Atsuko cracked a forced grin as she tried keeping Makoto from speaking.

Still, she failed, and both her and Yang fell on stone chips. They looked at Makoto frantically getting rid of the dirt from his blue sweater and clumsily following Naomi.

"Stop immediately!" He shouted, abruptly arresting himself before he tripped and started rolling down the little hill, but Naomi purposely ignored him and made his rage grow even more. He hated that girl so much and she shouldn't dare to approach Itsuki, especially when she was that sad!

The brown-haired girl elegantly let her body slip down the green hill, as if she was wearing her rollers. She hugged the box she was holding tightly against her chest and saw Itsuki's silhouette sitting on the lonely curb that was next to tennis pitch; it was empty as school club activities hadn't started yet.

"Itsuki!" She called, but the girl didn't seem to have noticed her presence.

She got closer and sat down next to her, when her second attempt to draw her attention failed. She could feel a weird aura surrounding Itsuki: where was the cheerful girl who would always hop around her and talk about ice skating? She looked like a sort of robot, absently bringing the chopsticks to her mouth and mincing the octopus she had for lunch without a specific reason.

Apparently, that event had affected her more than she could have ever imagined.

Lucky me, Naomi put the fuchsia box on her knees, passing a slightly dark hand on her white skirt. She had predicted Itsuki would get upset and discouraged after what had happened, so she had decided to let her taste the biscuits that were in her box for first. It was a traditional arabic dessert: they had been prepared by her father, but the whole family had collaborated...After such a long time. Her parents' relationship wasn't that peaceful, but they would have done everything to see their successful only daughter smiling and being happy.

Since Itsuki was feeling that down, more than ever, she would let her eat as many as she wanted.

"Itsuki-Chan, you go crazy for chocolate, right?" She asked her, confident: that was a rhetorical question as she could remember how much chocolate Itsuki ate during those birthday parties both had been invited to in the past; not to talk about her birthday itself: her parents had asked some friends of theirs -probably, the parents of that annoying boy of Matsuda, she could recall- to bake a huge chocolate cake for her.

She was about to open the box, but Itsuki weakly grabbed her arm.

"Why are ya talking to me, Naomi?" She began, melancholy was laced with her voice, but her expression conveyed Naomi an emotion that was similar to anger. "Aren't ya supposed to stay with the others? Y're not supposed to stay with someone like me".

Naomi couldn't help but blink, before she mimicked her interlocutor and delicately grabbed her arm too.

"Hey, you shouldn't feel so sad about what happened. You got to the fourth place, which isn't a bad one at all!" She timidly cracked a smile hoping Itsuki would turn to her, but she kept on speaking while staring in the space.

"But I fell," That was her harsh reply, and memories about her last tournament flooded her soul and made her feel a scorching pain in her heart.

Itsuki's purple long sleeve instinctively landed on her right knee, and somehow the pain of the bruises that fall had generated on her skin seemed to feel more unbearable than ever.

Nevertheless, at the time when she violently crashed against the ice of the rink, she didn't really matter about how badly her knee hurt, she could only focus on those she loved's expressions: her parents who were so proud of the achievements she had got during her previous tournaments, her friends who were rooting for her, Lunamon, her coach...And Naomi. Itsuki was so excited to show her the difficult long program her coach had chosen for her, and her rival had given the girl her whole support. That was so important to her, she couldn't fail and disappoint her rival. She couldn't!

Still...

She had tried swallowing her delusion during the weekend, but meeting Naomi at school had brought her back to reality, a reality in which she didn't share the podium with her.

"Maybe, your program was just too hard for your level, that's all," Naomi hypothisized, after having exploited those moments of silence to think about a way to cheer Itsuki up. She wasn't so used to dealing with other people's problems, so she wasn't that good at pondering words. Therefore, it wasn't so rare for her to be considered as an insensitive child, but she didn't absolutely intend to be mean. Nevertheless, people would never listen to her apologies and explanations. "When my coach read your program, she thought it was very hard as well. There were few step sequences and too many spins and jumps. I believe you couldn't perform that jump because the previous spin had made you lose your concentration. My coach always tells me spins might be tricky: they make your head feel so dizzy, so step sequences are necessary after you perform one of those."

She was so great at explaining technical matters too, Itsuki realized in awe letting herself being absorbed by her speech, but she eventually felt irritation darknening her inner being. The advancing of that shadow was so powerful she couldn't find her rationality anymore; she couldn't even grasp some crumbs of that precious resource or hers.

"I fell, Naomi! I fell, y'know?! No, y'don't and can't imagine because y've never met failure. Y'don't know what failing means, ya can't imagine what disappointing your family and friends means!" The dark blue-haired girl shouted and eventually brought herself to intensively stare at Naomi with her amethyst-coloured orbs: she had never seen Itsuki's eyes mirroring such awful feelings; they didn't fit her at all. "I failed everyone: I failed Mummy and Daddy, Mako-Chan, Yang-Chan and At-Chan...I failed ya too. I failed ya too, Naomi-Chan!"

"Itsuki..."

Anger left space to sadness, and Itsuki lied her gaze on her pink lunch box.

"Ya should be mad at me, Nao-Chan. Ya were expecting a beautiful performance, instead I fell in front of those I love and I can't just stand them pretending to commend me, to tell me I've given my best, because that's not what I did. Just tell me I'm a failure!"

Naomi sat still, uncertain about what she had to do, uncertain about how she should feel: compassionate? Unhappy? Sorry?

No, she felt her eyebrows twitching on her own as well as her lips and hands, which were now clenched in fists.

"You know what? Yes, I'm mad at you, I'm so mad you have no idea! Then, the Itsuki you show to be isn't your true self, is she? You just pretend to be so strong, so determined, so full of encouraging words you put in your mouth to gain a charm you don't have in truth!"

She immediately covered her mouth, regretting having said what she didn't want to. That's not what she meant to say, indeed, that wasn't the way she wanted to say it, at least!

"Get far away from her!" A familiar voice pierced her ears, and she stood up when Makoto and the other two children stepped in her field of view. "Get far away from her, witch!"

Makoto was internally boiling, his hatred for that girl was frighteningly swelling. He wouldn't have let her even approach Itsuki...If he hadn't miserably fallen on the grass while running after her.

"What did you do to her?" He fiercely pointed at the tears that had uncounsciously formed on the corners of Itsuki's eyes. She didn't mean to make her cry!

Atsuko sat next to Itsuki, hugging her friend and hoping that crying could help her free every unpleasant feeling that was wrapping round her soul. She should have kept Makoto from doing something stupid because Naomi was her friend as well, but she had to choose her priorities.

Couldn't Wen act as a boy for once?, she huffed thinking about the fact everything was over for her. Naomi and her other friends wouldn't want to hang out with her anymore because she had discovered her friendship with those dorks!

Still, it could have gone worse, she tried cheering herself up. Naomi could have discovered about her life as a Digimon Tamer, but Lunamon had quickly frozen itself to hide its identity: it was a good Digimon, she should give it some present to show it her gratitude.

Speaking about the digital bunny...It was on the curb the two girls were sitting on and was observing its dear Itsuki with apprehension. It could perceive her sadness and frustration, and those feelings were making it feel like crying too. It would have liked to hug its partner, it wanted her to understand she could count on its help: Lunamon would have surely spoiled Itsuki with so many loving cares -maybe even excessive ones, like usual-.

"Tell me! What did you say to make her cry?!" Makoto yelled. "Speak!"

"I've just told her about the truth! I was giving her advices! I wanted to cheer her up!"

"Sure! A snake cheering up a person? Snakes open their mouth just to show their prey that forked tongue you also have got!"

The wavy-haired girl gritted her teeth, taking into account how crazy Makoto Matsuda was for the nth time in her life. However, she couldn't really deny the objectivity: Itsuki was crying and it was obvious her friends would see her as a monster. They didn't care about the fact her purpose wasn't to make her that sad, they surely cared about what they were witnessing.

I will end up like this whenever I want to spend my time with someone and help them!, she wanted to cry too, she wanted to express how unhappy she was feeling at that moment as well!

Still, she could only hug her fuchsia box and back off, afraid of what Makoto could do to her: he was slowly pushing her to the sort of net that surrounded the tennis pitch. She touched it with her back and she felt like a rat in trap. The only person she could see was the chinese boy, her classmate, quietly following their movements with a concerned expression. The tanned fists she could spot were twitching just like hers some minutes before; that was the gesture that had led her to her ruin.

"What do you have there? What were you going to give her?! Some bug to terrorize her, for sure!" Makoto started pulling her box and she held onto it with all her strength.

"M-Mako, stop, please!" She could hear, her grip softening at that voice trying helping her.

Then they heard a noise, a crash and her box hit the floor. The impact made its lid fly away and the biscuits it contained got revelead; some of them had broken during the fall just like Naomi's heart when she stared at that disaster.

"C-cookies?!" Makoto stuttered, incredulous. There was no bug or no worm in that box: there were chocolate biscuits that were covered in scales of pistache. "Ah...They're poisoned, this is where the trick is!" He raised a hand in the air to hit her, not knowing what to do to hide how ashamed he was.

He couldn't even hide the surprise his body was taken over by, when his fist stopped above a bunch of dark fluffy hair that didn't certainly belong to that girl. He would have never hit her, of course: he just wanted to intimidate her. However he could have even smashed the teeth of the subject who was challenging him now.

"What are you doing, have you lost your head?! Get out of my way!"

Yang firmly stood in front of Naomi, his arms and legs were spread so he could protect her. He was shorter than her and fortunately she had kneeled, he thought, ignoring how shaky his arms and legs were feeling. He couldn't just keep on watching that scene without doing anything. Makoto had never been so vicious during his nonsense bickerings with Naomi.

"You-you're exaggerating now," He noisely gulped. He considered the hatred Makoto had been growing towards his classmate for years pointless. It was enough for Naomi to get close to Itsuki to be rudely chased away, because Makoto was convinced her only life purpose was to humilate the other girl with her Daddy-girl behaviour -that was one of the thousand insults Makoto had adressed her-.

He sighed, his chest was feeling like if racing horses had been running without a destination for hours.

"A-are you okay?" He hesitantly kneeled next to her, leaving the other children agape at that sight. He reached out to help her put the biscuits into the box, but he stopped to wonder what those curls were hiding from them.

She was probably crying or about to do that, he hypothisized, frowning. Whenever she would be treated in an immature way by Makoto, she would get far away from them without too many complaints and with pride...Even though she would lower her head and start walking more slowly after a while, when she was at a certain distance from them.

"Naomi-Chan, let me help you," Atsuko woke up fron her trance and joined Yang, glaring at Makoto with so much anger he could feel a cold shiver running down his spine.

"You can't make me the one who is wrong! I'm not! I was defending Itsuki!" Makoto grabbed Itsuki's shoulders, hoping she would say something that could pacify the whole situation, but she wasn't acting like herself at all. She merely raised her head to him and pushed him back with her long sleeves.

For once in her life she needed to stay all alone, she needed her life space and that was so unsual for a person like her, whose existence depended on staying with others. Surely, people could state she was acting so childishly, but even Itsuki Lee, the girl everyone looked up to thanks to her oratory skills and her perpetual happiness, should be free to externalize her flaws, her darkest side. She couldn't deal with losing tournaments. She couldn't deal with the awareness she had failed: that was probably the part of hers that was the closest to her mother's younger self.

Keeping on being immersed in the sea of her frustration, Itsuki headed to her classroom which is what Atsuko and Naomi did too. The latter's previous shine seemed to be covered by a black cloud floating above her, just like the ones that were thickening in the grey sky of that day of March.

If Makoto and Yang didn't prudently decide to follow the girls' example, they would find themselves in the middle of an impetuous thunderstorm. Nevertheless, wisdom didn't belong to them.

"S-she had prepared cookies for Itsuki. How could you be so cold-hearted?!"

"Cookies?! Who cares! They have been prepared by a witch!"

Naomi hadn't managed to gather every biscuit that was on the ground; there were still some that were scattered in the spot that avoidable tragedy had happened in.

"She looked so sad," Yang continued, not managing to erase fragments of memories featuring the melancholy Naomi from his mind.

"They were so good too, Mako! This time I don't agree with you!" Coronamon, which had jumped off some tree along with Spadamon, had just tasted one of them and was licking its whiskers to Spadamon's dismay.

The tall boy crossed his arms and pouted: he hadn't done anything wrong, in his opinion. Why couldn't his friends understand defending someone meant to oppose to someone else and eventually hurt them?

"Mako, what would your mother think?" Spadamon moved its sword back and forth as if it had been a teacher holding its cane. "She would be so disappointed from your behaviour, especially because you've treated a poor girl in that barbarous way!" The Digimon was used to listening to poor Juri telling Takato about their son's mischief.

He's in middle school, Darling! He's not in elementary school anymore and...I'm so worried about what his teachers may already think about him, what they may think about us, because they say children are their parents' mirror! What if they failed him?

Surely, Juri was a bit paranoid, Spadamon mentally asserted: middle school had just started, after all. Still, it could share Juri's concerns, as it felt like the more Makoto grew up, the more it became harder to tame his temper.

The digital lion jumped on its partner's shoulder, after having noticed he had fallen in a state of mutism that could mean he was thinking about what he had done. He has to take his time, but he will surely get there, Spadamon confidently told itself.

"It's okay to be angry at yourself. Kick your rebel side as much as you want, cry if you need to...What matters the most is that you'll go apologizing to her and to Atsuko too," The Digimon's voice was soothing, it sounded like a soft harp being played by invisible hands in some kind of church.

"Kick..." Makoto breathed, absently looking at the biscuits. Spadamon's paws caressing his locks were relaxing, but they could have never resisted to the vigorous waves of destructive energy that were invading him. They became stronger and stronger as seconds passed by, until he literally bursted of wrath. "Kick?! Do you know what I want to kick?! These!"

He raged on the biscuits and began stomping, mangling, annihilating them. They became crumbs in a blink of an eye, the scales of pistache rolling everywhere and ending on the boys' shoes too.

"Ma-Mako, this is not the right way to deal with problems!" Yang begged, embracing his friend from behind relying on his almost non-existent strength.

Makoto stopped to Yang and Spadamon's delight, but the chinese boy understood he had ended in a huge trouble when two eyes full of fire fumed towards him.

"You! You should have thought better before standing up to me! You don't care about It-Chan at all, you decided to defend the girl who hurt her!"

Their faces were two centimetres away from each other and Yang felt like if he had grown a tail that was shaking between his legs: a cat and a dog, a zebra and a lion, prey and predator.

"Ugh..."

"You even applauded when she won the tournament...And Itsuki had just fallen! Isn't Itsuki your friend?! Or is that witch you friend now, instead?!"

He stepped forward and made Yang walk backwards until he found himself in trap just like it had happened to Naomi. The chinese boy was cornered and was preparing himself for an upcoming brawl.

"It's disappointing to see you being so heartless to Itsuki..."

"I'm not!" He resolutey fought back. "D-don't say I don't care about her! It's-It's just that..." Yang touched his white sweater when words seemed to fade in his brain, making him unable to find the proper expressions to use to explain what was happening to him. He didn't know! Therefore how he was supposed to describe something he couldn't understand either? However, little did he know he had been showing what was happening in his heart for a while: his actions compensated the emptiness his speaking skills were characterized by. "Do you...Do you ever feel like your body wants to move on its own? Like, you're not thinking, you're not planning to stand up and put yourself in front of a girl to defend her, but your legs arbitrarily take you next to her. And-and, after everything is over, you-your knees give up and one arm of yours would like to lift her locks up to see if she's crying...Yes, crying. Neh, Mako, a-at that moment I found myself thinking: would she consider me as her hero after this? Weird, right? "

Makoto blinked at that river of rubbish he had just listened to, but somehow he felt like genuinely wince: Yang's eyes and mind seemed to have arrived in another universe.

"Oh God, Yang! Have you got a crush on that harpy? Bah, what kind of tastes do you have?!"

Obviously, Yang's tanned cheeks got a concerning red colour, his hands became sweaty and he started rubbing them on the fabric of his white cardigan.

"W-we w-were talking about L-Lee-Kun, weren't we?", He stuttered, but Makoto had totally passed from a completely mad mood to an unbridled one.

"You have got a crush on Aoki Naomi! Imagine you becoming her slave!"

He was so ashamed he would have liked to fall through the Earth. That wasn't true! He had just been looking at her from afar since the Tear Jumpers properly faced her for the first time. His ears felt so hot, he could feel their tips getting more and more boiling: fortunately they were covered by his longish hair. Still, when Coronamon joined Makoto in that silly chorus, he couldn't resist anymore. He was aware about the consequences he was about to meet, but he couldn't stand that situation anymore.

"What about your crush for that s-sadistic of Atsuko then?!"

He got a broken nose and a huge stain of blood on his sweater, but for once in his life he felt proud of having managed to have spoken up.

And it was for a good cause too!

XXX

Moron

Ash ole .

I don't think it's written like this.

...

He had always been a quiet kid; that's the way people viewed him, at least. Nevertheless, he threw the last spitball he had created with such an unnecessary strength and nervousness that he felt a pain in his arm at a certain point.

Makoto scoffed, even if having ended up in detention wasn't that funny. At all. Still, insulting each other in english was hilarious, in both's opinion.

"When I go back home, Mum will certainly start clucking about how ashamed she is about me, she will act like a drama queen, she will call Dad and blah blah blah. Dad will eventually tell me I won't be allowed to play for a week, two weeks, who knows."

"Uhm, Mum-Mum is going to fly off the handle. I mean, look at this mess!" He pointed at the stain of blood, quite despaired. "You...You do know Mum wants me and Shaoyu to look perfect when that dude is around!" He was referring to the man who would visit them more often than usual, even staying at their house until the dawn of the following day. His mother would get so excited whenever he was supposed to visit them, but she would also get extremely irritable, ordering especially Yang to tidy his room and comb his hair -after all, he wasn't known as the tidiest kid-. Yang didn't really know what was happening between his mother and that man, though; he was only a child and his heart would be shattered into thousands of pieces, if he discovered that man was about to represent the end of his family.

"Ah! Mine has got used to me being in detention. I think she's understood it's useless to try. This should be the fifth time in a month, I think?"

That third uninvited voice made them turn to the opposite side of the class: it belonged to a boy who was sitting sprawled on his chair, his arms were behind his head which was covered with light brown hair.

"Hm let me think. I got the first one because I was late, nothing too serious. The second was back when I had the fantastic idea to play soccer in class. The third was...Ah no, that isn't so cool and worth mentioning. I think the most amazing reason why I got in detention was that day I almost smashed Goto-Kun's teeth. Ah, I felt so proud! He was cheating at football and I admit I lost my temper. Eh eh, I can't stand him."

Makoto and Yang blinked, astounded.

"Dude, those are a lot of strikes, and middle school has just started!"

"Probably, but I don't regret having punched that stupid boy!"

After having fliddered with the ridicolous plaster he had on his nose, he stood up and approached their desks, revealing them a pair of very playful eyes which only could mean troubles.

"You know Goto-Kun, don't you?" He asked Yang and only during that fragment of seconds the chinese boy realized that

stranger was another classmate of his.

"Goto-K-Kun?"

"Yes, black hair, not that tall and not that short, a genius at science but science isn't everything in life," He frowned evidently, his pale hand clenched in a fist. "He always talks about you, it pisses me. Once he told me, Do you see those eyes? Who knows what they can see!"

"What? What does that even mean?" Makoto spatted, slightly irritated. "They see what other people see, what a question! Yang isn't an esper, unfortunately!"

"But Goto-Kun thinks your friend can see demons, dead people, stuff that's beyond walls..." He sat on a desk, not caring about the fact the teacher had almost finished talking to another one in the corridor. "Neh, Wen, you can't see them, can you? I mean, I don't believe in what Goto-Kun says but, if you want to tell me, you can. I won't judge you, I'm a good person!"

Makoto couldn't help but burst into laughters at that statement. Furthermore, that conversation had no sense, in his opinion.

"A good person? You've thrown a punch to that kid and who knows what other things you did!"

"You hit someone too, though," He waved the essays Yang and Makoto had to write. " I mustn't hit my peers. Violence is never good."

"Mind your own business! You have got an essay to write as well, right?!" Makoto couldn't already stand that boy and he wasn't doing anything to conceal it.

"Yes, I have, but there's time to do that. They don't even check them in truth. You know, other schools don't have a detention system; here it's reserved to those who end up crossing over the line, but they don't take it too seriously. Anyway, Wen Yang, tell me, can you see ghosts and stuff like that?" While he was pronouncing those words, he got closer and closer to Yang's face and now the boy could properly get in contact with this stranger's orbs. They were bizarre: they looked like if someone had fun while pouring so much honey in ponds of milk in order to sweeten them.

"I-I don't think I can! Why do people consider me like that..." Yang answered and so many kids avoiding him due to his features appeared in his mind. Even Coronamon would often underline his eyes were frightening.

"Ahaha, I knew it! It's not like I've ever believed in such stupid words, eh - I want this to be written in your minds like ink on white paper!- My best friend says I'm an idiot because I believe in weird stuff. She's a bit harsh but she's a good person, trust me."

He was a very chatty person who seemed to speak in a very rhetorical way, using some expressions that sounded quite uncommon for a child, especially for a school bully. "Speaking about her, today she didn't seem to feel well..."

Apparently, that day so many girls weren't acting like themselves, Makoto told himself, surprised. His head was supported by his hand, his elbow lied on the edge of the desk and his expression was bored. This dude is so lame, he mockingly smirked, but that was meant to disappear soon.

"I couldn't obviously sit back while my precious childhood friend was suffering, so I asked some kids I had never met before if they knew something about what might have happened and...And they told me someone had dared to treat her in a questionable way. A miscreant!" His cheeks had puffed up according to the fury his actions were set in motion by. "I didn't even ask about his name, because my sixth sense -it never tricks me, you know?- took me to that stupid, to Goto-Kun. Who else could have dared to smear her kunafa biscuits?! Of course, I skipped the whole geometry lesson to get revenge, but it was worthy! Wen, did you notice how bravely I dragged him out of the classroom?"

Makoto was about to choke at the realization of who this girl he was talking about was. He was also about to acknowledge the fact an innocent boy had been hit by that weirdo, while he was the only one who deserved to assist to the loss of some teeth of his -even if he couldn't be sure whether that boy was stronger than him; he was taller than Yang, but that didn't mean anything-.

Then something caught his attention and his mouth opened in disbelief.

"Y-Yang..." He stuttered, grabbing his friend's shoulder and powerfully shaking it up.

When Yang could finally make his eyes shift without being noticed by the stranger, who was showering him with questions about that Goto-Kun, he felt like if his heart had skipped a beat.

What?! What kind of joke was that?!

There were two familiar girls on a tree they could see from the classroom's window. They were grinning and waving at them, while they were holding Coronamon and Spadamon. The shortest one was having fun using some sort of glowing lasso as a support to perform astonishing acrobatics, while the other one seemed to be scolding her.

If they fall and destroy their empty heads, I swear I'll leave their corpse there; may they become food for stupid birds!

It happened what he had predicted: the girl fell along with a branch, and both Makoto and Yang panicked.

"What's the matter?" The third boy innocently asked, but they didn't give him any explanation. They were too focused on writing disconnected words on their essay papers and on dashing to the teacher, interrupting her conversation.

"Done! We must go now!"

"Y-yes, w-we must go. Sorry!"

The stranger boy decided to mimick and follow them. He grabbed his backpack and put a novel and his pencil case into it, before starting running after them. They were so funny! He wanted to spend more time with them, indeed, as much time as he could!

"Hey, you two, where are you rushing to?" He tried shouting, but they were quickly heading for the yard.

Makoto and Yang found Mihoshi lying on the ground and gasped.

"I did tell her she should have been more careful. Personally, I've chosen a branch that's thick enough to let me rest on it!" Ran, who was still on the tree, shrugged, petting Coronamon and Spadamon that were on her shoulders.

"Hm, Ran, right?" Yang murmured, raising and spreading his arms. "Could you please get off there? Here...I'll help you."

She giggled and jumped off the tree on her own, gracefully landing.

"I appreciate your help, but what could such a short and thin boy like you do?"

Makoto and Coronamon couldn't help but burst into laughters at her remark, while Yang could only furiously blush, dumbstruck. The only one that was pitying him was Spadamon, like always.

Ran kept on giggling covering her mouth, but her attention quickly flew on Mihoshi.

"C'mon Miho, the ground is so dirty. Stand up and put an end to this drama: we both know you and Jolie have already fallen from much greater heights. Tell them about when you two were having fun in the snow and fell from four metres or something like that! Ryou had gone pale, but you two were miracolously fine after having destroyed Alice and Shibumi's house's roof! You just had some bruises everywhere."

Mihoshi grinned and raised her head. She kneeled and proceeded to check if her clothes were covered in dust.

"You're bleeding!" Yang pointed at her ripped sock, but she didn't seem too worried about the wound.

"It's nothing!" She said and her deep violet eyes finally stared at Makoto. "So, what do you think of my athletic skills?" She strutted in front of him, a malicious smirk was on her rosy face. "So?"

"Those are athletic skills belonging to an insane girl just like you!" The tall boy argued while he tried stepping on Jolie's tail, since it was playing with his boots' laces. "By the way, how did you manage to find us here?! Shouldn't you be in Digiworld? Weren't you supposed to be unable to come here without Ryou's help?!" He felt like if he had run kilometres as his breathing's pace had quickened considerably.

"Well, we've happened to find Coronamon and Spadamon fighting near to a bunch of trash bins..." Mihoshi recalled pushing Yang and Makoto to frighteningly glare at the two Digimon.

"And then they told us you were at this place called school!" Ran added, making her long blonde hair bounce on her back.

"They've led us here, yes !"

One of Makoto's eyes twitched due to the nervousness that had invaded his soul.

"Maybe you haven't noticed you've skipped the most important part of your silly story! How did you arrive here?!"

"...Through a Digi-Tear, of course." Ran was afraid of directly looking at them. "We found one near our house, so we seized the moment."

" You're telling me you've used a Digi-Tear leading you to Tokyo and you left it opened?!"

Ran and Mihoshi looked at each other, hesitantly.

"Yes, we did. How would we be able to come back without it?" They nonchalantly nodded, and Makoto slapped his face because they didn't seem to be aware about the fact now so many Digimon could come to Shinjuku; indeed, probably they had already done that and were aimlessly roaming and destroying cars, shop windows, mailboxes...His fantasy was running wild and he was already imagining how many missions they would be involved in.

"Hypnos could deal with that problem!" Yang tried making him come back to Earth. "N-now what matters the most is to know about the reason why you two are here!"

Ran fliddered with one of the bushings that delicately touched her shoulders and whatever trace of her always present haughty grin disappeared.

"Well, can you remember about Chloe? My Digimon?"

"Your Kudamon?" Yang put a hand under his chin, recalling the white furret that during their first meeting had emanated such a radiant light it had managed to knock Spadamon down. "What about it?", He noticed it was nowhere to be seen.

"Let's say she's the first one that passed through the Digi-Tear," She tried talking about that matter forcing herself to joke, but her mouth would unaivodably curve downards whenever she attempted to do that. "Like I told you that day, in the past Chloe was bitten by one of those Digimon you sent back to Digiworld last year, an infected Digimon, of course. So-"

Makoto interrupted her with a weird noise that came out of his mouth, a noise that conveyed his huge disinterest in what she was telling them about.

"Yes, doll. Yes. We do know how these kinds of stories develop: a zombie bites a human, this unfortunate person becomes a zombie as well. The end. This is what happened to Chloe too, right? It was bitten by an infected Digimon and it became infected as well. So...Now you need to recover it, before it, ehm, bites a person, maybe?"

Mihoshi and Ran held onto each other, scared of what they had just heard.

"A Reppamon biting a person?!" Mihoshi almost became pale at the thought.

"Would this person survive?!" Ran continued; they both admitted they had never thought about that scenario -and Makoto understood they had never watched a zombie film-.

"Mako, Yang, what are we supposed to do?" The blue-eyed girl started aimlessly walking from right to left, as horrible thoughts insued in her mind. "Chloe had already been acting weirdly as a Kudamon for a while. She didn't want to play with Jolie and once she was even about to attack Miho. Therefore, Ryou had recommended that I would never let her digievolve, because the effects of the infection could worsen due to the increasing power that would flow in her veins ...I swear, it wasn't my fault! Do you believe me? Chloe wouldn't attack anyone, but I must hurry and act before her infection spreads in her body," She grabbed both's boys hands and they got petrified at that gesture. "We should have never played in the forest, I know about that, but we didn't know Ryou was trying protecting us from that Kabuterimon. Chloe wanted to protect us too and that's why she digievolved..."

"And escaped," Mihoshi added, getting a small kick from Ran that could make her understand how insensitive she had just been.

The quartet exploited some seconds of silence to tidy their ideas, but it was known silence didn't fit Makoto.

"Then? Then, what should we do? You made shit, you have to make up your shit. Living would be so easier if other people could solve our problems and redeem our mistakes. Still, the world doesn't work like that, so good luck."

He discourtesely shook his arm so Ran could stop tightening his hand and keep his blood from normally circulating. Those girls! Who did they think they were?! They always bragged about being better Digimon Tamers than them, but at the same time they always ended up in troubles. What a pain!

"But Mako, Yang, we need your help!" Ran insisted. "We've never been in Shinjuku, so we need mighty men who could escort us and take us around the city," She had proceeded to tease them in order to get what she wanted. "Furthermore, imagine if Chloe bit a person you love and you care about. What would you do?"

"You're a weasel! You're an evil weasel rubbing its fur against some farmer's leg so you can look adorable, but then you steal their chicks' eggs!" The dark brown-haired boy was so proud of the metaphor he had come up with, even if it was only useful to push Mihoshi to step on his foot.

"Mihoshi, you're wearing commando boots. You'll break my hallux's bones!" He felt like if he wasn't able to breathe anymore, her strength was unbelievable despite her small stature, it was incredible.

"You're so rude, treating Ran like that! I can't let you run away!" She growled showing her pointed tooth.

Yang cautiously grabbed her arms from behind, parting her from Makoto like he would do to a cat scratching someone's face. She kept on frantically moving her limbs, and he pushed her arms down: she was perplexed at the realization he had calmed her in a blink of an eye, almost magically.

"N-Now...I think Lee-Kun wouldn't like to see us arguing and fighting, would she? Talking about Lee-Kun...We could use Google-Vision to find Chloe as so-soon as possible."

"But It-Chan isn't feeling fine at all, you dumbass! Indeed, she must be so mad at me because of what happened with Naomi!" Makoto talked back, crossing his arms not caring about the fact Ran and Mihoshi weren't understanding anything about what they were talking about.

"I think I didn't understand even a word you've pronounced," Mihoshi frankly stated.

"Neither me. I think I need a vocabulary."

The black-haired girl shivered after that voice penetrated in her ear. She jumped next to Yang and started hissing along with Jolie.

"What an unusual girl," The newcomer said in awe, before turning to Makoto and Yang who were near to losing their senses. "Guys! You ran away from me like if I was a sort of Medieval plague-spreader. I haven't even had the chance to tell you my name: it's Koujiro, by the way, but people call me Kou! So, please, call me that too!" He politely smiled to Mihoshi and Ran. "Nice to meet you two too!"

Makoto didn't even know from where to start: had he overheard everything? Where had he been that whole time?

"I'll take him down so he will forget about everything," Makoto whispered to Yang and he laid his reddish eyes on Mihoshi too, trying to develop telepathy at once. Even if he couldn't stand her, she would be such a precious contribution to that plan.

"So, so, you were talking about something called Google-Vision, right? Is that some kind of new TV?" Kou innocently tweeted and the boys covered their face with their hands.

"You've listened to everything we've said, haven't you?" Makoto desperatedly brought himself to question.

"Yes, I did and I already knew you were interesting, but I didn't think you would be this interesting!" He spread his arms to point at the Digimon.

"Are-Aren't you surprised?" Yang was speechless and Makoto and him shared another glance that was full of doubts.

"The fact is that my parents have got a huge library and children are crazy for novels telling about the stories of the Digimon Tamers of Shinjuku! Have you ever heard about them? They defeated the D-Reaper! I don't know how to describe it to you, but it was a huge mountain made of flesh! There aren't photos about it, but novelists describe it like that! By the way, when I was a child, I was interested in those stories too and I have never stopped believing they were real. And today my faith has been paid back!"

Makoto rolled his eyes, extremely annoyed because of Kou's silver tongue.

"If I told him I'm the son of the hero who defeated the D-Reaper, would he shut up?" He cautiously told Yang who looked bothered by his gab as well.

"I-I'm afraid it would be impossible to stop him, if you did..."

Oh Gods, what a day.

"So what about this Google Vision?" Mihoshi impatiently patted her foot, but curiousity was shining in those impenetrable orbs of hers that looked like a tiger's. "Is it as cool as a radio-transmitter?"

"If it is similar to a radio-transmitter, it will be connected to Hypnos. The answer is no."

They all stared to Ran while Kou couldn't contain his excitement at discovering Hypnos was real too.

"Do they have their headquarters in a bunker or something like that? Naomi will never believe me, Goto-Kun-" Makoto put a hand in front of his mouth to finally silence him.

"Why are you so against Hypnos?" He suspicously asked Ran raising his eyebrows, but the only answer he got was her porcelaine face darkening.

"It's...It's not that important," She spatted, sharing an understanding glance with Mihoshi. "We don't want to involve either Hypnos or Ryou in this matter. We just want to come back home along with Chloe. Please..."

"Still, if we don't use Google-Vision, how will we be able to find Chloe?" The black-haired girl objected, but Makoto had suddenly got a brilliant idea in mind (sure...). It was an idea that would always work in the shows he liked watching.

"Yang," He began. "If you were a Digimon arriving in Shinjuku, where would you go?"

"I know, I know!" Kou answered in the chinese boy's stead. "I would go in a place that could remind me of my habitat: Kudamon are furrets and furrets live in meadows, in places in which lot of grass grows! Hence, I'd find a good hiding place at the Shinjuku Park!"

Makoto snarled, he would have liked to jump onto Kou to maul him like a lion would, but he and Yang had to admit his reasoning made complete sense.

"It-It's what I was going to say too. More or less...Moreover, digimon somehow always appear there!" Yang shrudded, surprised.

"What a pity Kou boy doesn't apparently know Reppamon isn't a furret like a Kudamon!" Ran muttered, but the group was already leaving the yard. "Whatever!"

XXX

Skating on her roller blades was one of those pastimes that could make her forget about every kind of concern keeping her from living her day at the fullest. Still, that day that magic wasn't working.

"It-Chan, there's always a way to amend mistakes. It wasn't even your fault. Maybe you were too tired..." Atsuko tried comforting her, which was what she had been doing since that morning. What a day that one had been, she could feel her temples pulsing due to exhaustation: firstly Naomi had discovered her along with Makoto and Yang, then it had been Makoto's turn to make her even more despaired than before...And finally there was Itsuki acting so tough towards herself.

She stared at her skating near to a bench and sitting down on it without using any phisical strength.

"It-Chan, c'mon," Atsuko insisted, wearing a smile and spreading her arms, contendetly. "Today we have got no mission, no boys bothering us. We have got a real free day! We should be strolling around Shinjuku happily. Don't let a contest ruin this beautiful day!"

Itsuki lowered her head, her hands covered her face as she thought about what had happened that morning.

"Ya don't know what I told her, At-Chan," She almost whined at the memory. "I was so tactless, so stubborn...Just like Makoto."

"Oh now, don't compare yourself to that fool. I swear that I was about to call Impmon to give him a proper lesson. He'll never learn, these words are yours."

Atsuko put her hands on her hips, standing in front of her friend and looking at her sympathetically. Then she decided to sit down next to her, hoping her good intents could reach Itsuki's heart more easily.

"You know," She began, attempting to suppress a giggle. "I was so stunned when I saw Yang protecting Naomi. I'm still thinking about the possibility it all was a dream. I mean, It, our spineless Yang turning against his best friend Makoto for a girl. How funny could this be?" She laughed but her hilarity immediately faded when she didn't see Itsuki doing the same.

Indeed, she looked even more down now.

"Why would he do that, though?" The cobalt-haired girl could only ask -more to herself than to Atsuko-.

"I was thinking about that too. Probably-"

She stopped Atsuko before she could say something that would bother her even more than just a tournament. Naomi had everything: she was so great at ice skating, she was near to being a model student...Now she was becoming Yang's friend too?

She felt a vice slowly strangling her stomach just like it had happened to her after the tournament and when that morning she saw Naomi being bullied by Makoto. She could have stood up and defended her, tears weren't enough to keep her from punching Makoto on the nose; after all, it was her fault if Makoto had acted so brutally towards her. Still...Why didn't she do that? Why did she change her mind in the matter of a second?

"Thank ya, At-Chan. Thank ya for always being by my side. I'm sorry y're coping with me being so unreasonable," She brought herself to sincerely tell Atsuko, hiding her melancholy behind her kindness. Her long sleeves were on the light-haired girl's delicate shoulders and she was looking at her brown eyes with gratitude.

However, she soon found herself needing to blink when a alien yet also familiar sensation washed over her senses.

"It-Chan, what's the matter?" Atsuko asked her, concerned. She had noticed her peer had started staring at something that was in the distance, but she couldn't see anything, in truth.

"Something's happening," Itsuki resolutely came to mutter and abruptly stood up. She raised her arm and waited for Lunamon to jump onto it.

"Wait, what's going on?" Atsuko pressed, but Itsuki didn't seem to have time to give her explanations.

She merely beckoned to follow them, even though Atsuko needed to call Impmon as well, but it was enough for the girl to start shouting at her Digimon for her to already lose track of her friend.

"Oh Itsuki!" She whimpered, aware a tiring run was waiting for her.

Meanwhile Itsuki was relying on her so called sixth sense to guide herself among the many narrow streets of Shinjuku Park. Lunamon was holding onto her shoulder tightly, closing its eyes to try helping its partner follow the invisible being.

"Why would it come here? It was in hurry, I could see so many leaves falling from a tree, Luna-Chan!"

"I-I don't know, but it's heading for that route," The Digimon pointed at a path that was less maintaned than the other zones of the park: its ground was covered in grass and some branches were scattered here and there.

"Not the most lovely path," Itsuki joked, shrugging at Lunamon.

Frowning, she took her violet digivice and let it analyze her surroundings: the results were negative.

"I can't understand! Why is it here, then? Daddy hasn't called us either, so this means no Digimon is really nearby. Luna-Chan, can ya perceive anything strange?"

Lunamon closed its eyes again, forcing itself to find something strange.

"I can't-" A shiver crossed its short spine. "There's something but...But I can't see it, I can't...It's like if it's lurking in the shadow..."

Its voice became weaker and weaker and Itsuki stared at the digital rabbit passing out in horror. She grabbed its frail body in time, before it fell on the ground due to the speed she had got, and skated to the end of that street patting on its head to try waking it up. They eventually reached a sort of bridge she could recognize as a place where teenagers in love often hid; her father had always recommended her to stay far away from that zone, but she had always been curious about it. Of course, at that hour the Sun was still shining brightly above Shinjuku and there was nobody to be seen, except a moving red point she could spot in the distance, in the uncultivated green area that was below the bridge.

"Something is feeling off," She told herself, finally taking into account Atsuko wouldn't be able to find her so easily.

She approached the bridge's railing and leaned forward to focus on that red point that now had become a silhouette: it was red and white and, when the cobalt-haired girl narrowed her amethyst-coloured spheres, she opened her mouth at the long wavy hair that person had.

"Nao-Chan!" She shouted, surprised her friend was there, but her arm quickly fell at the realization Naomi looked scared, indeed, terrorized.

Down there she was hugging the box she had brought to school, in her other hand she was holding an umbrella. She was walking backwards escaping from something whose identity was still unknown to Itsuki.

Seeing her friend in danger, Itsuki forgot about every unpleasant feeling that was connected to her name, and she prepared herself to jump down the bridge without thinking twice. She encircled her unconscious Lunamon with an arm and climbed over the railing. She had already gritted her teeth, but someone grabbed her from behind and carried her in their arms.

"What are you doing here?! Get away, now!"

"So, it really was ya..." Itsuki spatted at the sight of Renamon intensely looking at her. She had been perceiving her mother's Digimon's presence since she had entered the park along with Atsuko, and she was sure Renamon would show up sooner or later.

There was a strong bond between them and Ruki was so glad it existed. Actually, Renamon had been checking on its partner's daughter along with Terriermon since she was born; when she was little, they would be the ones playing along with Itsuki, if either Ruki or Jenrya were too busy with their jobs to stay with her. Surely, it was a surprise for the adults and for Renamon too to discover Itsuki could play hide-and-seek with the digital fox and find it in a blink of an eye: at that time she had already developed the ability to perceive its presence and it could only grow more solid, as time passed by.

"I'm always next to you, even when you're at school," Renamon tenderly replied, but its tone turned into a very strict one when Itsuki began squirming to get free of her grip.

"Let me go, Renamon! I need to save her from whatever she's escaping from!"

The slender digital fox stood still, impassive; Itsuki pouting didn't stir anything in its soul as its wish to protect the girl was stronger than ever.

"Why won't ya let me go?!"

Her attention was drawn by a figure quickly jumping on a tree just like Renamon had done some minutes before. She instinctively took her digivice from her pocket, but got astounded when the device couldn't analyze what was lurking in the grove.

"That's not a normal Digimon," Renamon calmy yet solemnly explained. "I can perceive its presence but can't clearly see its physical appearance. It's a shadow in my mind, a colourful one. I've followed its aura until I found it wandering here."

"And ya wanted to defeat it, didn't ya?"

It seemed to hesitate before giving her a reply.

"Itsuki, it has got a weird halo surrounding itself. It scares me and I don't know what effect any attack of its could have on me...Or you. I would like to help your friend, but I honestly think my powers won't even be effective on such a dangerous creature."

Itsuki exasperatedly held onto its shoulder, proceeding to pull the white hair that grew under the Digimon's neck.

"I would never forgive myself if I left her her in trouble. Please, Renamon! She's..." She stopped, lowering her head and feeling like a lump in her throat was keeping her from continuing her speech. However she took heart and clenched her fists. "She's a dear friend of mine and Digimon Tamers have to protect those they care about!"

Renamon sighed, finding endearing how stubborn Itsuki was, just like her mother. Nevertheless, if Jenrya and Ruki knew it had let their daughter face such a mysterious being all alone...

"What do you think you could possibly do? As I can clearly see, Lunamon wouldn't even be able to help you. Let me take you to Jen. Hold onto me tightly."

And it was right, Itsuki had to admit to herself, as she stared at her partner peacefully sleeping in her arms. Still, she had to do something; she had to rescue Naomi, she couldn't run away.

Renamon pumped its legs to perform one of its usual breathtaking jumps. Itsuki knew she would find herself flying in a blink of an eye, so she had to think about a plan quickly. Obviously, she couldn't rely on her usless complaints since Renamon was frozen in its convictions.

Maybe I could exploit the speed of Renamon's jump to get free!, she frantically reasoned. It was too reckless, she could tell herself, but, when she glanced at Naomi, actions won over her rationality. The digital fox gracefully hovered in the air and she found easier to lift its arms, just like she had predicted: the Digimon's strength was concentrated in its legs, after all.

"Sorry Renamon, but no more mistakes for today!" She shouted, and her free fall began after she had managed to kick the Digimon's limbs as hard as she could.

She was too excited to notice she had just done a blackflip in the air to realize she was directly falling onto the ground.

Even though she was relieved when her feet landed on the railing, her roller skates made her slip and she eventually crashed onto the grass underneath.

Damn! My knee hurt so much, she stumbled in pain, still holding Lunamon that hadn't been woken up by that commotion either. Despite the excruciating pain she was feeling on that knee she had already almost destroyed during her tournament, she brought herself to perform a long jump and hug Naomi, whose back was lying on the trunk of a tree.

The girl was stunned by what had happened: she hadn't noticed Itsuki falling from up above, since she was too focused on figuring out what was hiding and threatening her. While she was going back home, she had heard something growling and a wolf had immediately appeared in her imagination, but she was also aware wolves didn't live in parks and couldn't climb trees either!

She absently caressed Itsuki's dark locks with her shaking hands, and didn't try concealing her confusion at the sight of her peer bleating on her chest.

"Itsuki, are you scared?" It was the first sentence she could come up with, and slowly her surroudings felt like if they were disappearing along with that beast she was so afraid of.

"Nao-Chan," Itsuki sniffled. "I'm so sorry about what I've said, I should have never acted like that. Ya were just helping me and I...I...Didn't even thank ya for the biscuits." She hadn't planned to apologize so soon, but she couldn't help externalizing her burden the moment she had ended up in her arms.

Naomi was even more puzzled because she believed Itsuki was the one who was mad at her.

"Wait, what are you apologizing for? I'm the one who insulted you! I couldn't keep myself from making the same mistake...Again," She felt tears thickening and blurring her sight, but she quickly wiped them. "I use my words to hurt people and I think finally someone wants to punish me from up there."

Reality got shaped around them again as soon as the wavy-haired girl implicitly mentioned the creature. The bubble they had spontaneously created to take some time to talk had abruptly bursted, and now a huge animal was standing in front of them.

"A Kimaitachi?" Naomi muttered, widening her eyes in terror. "But these aren't supposed to exist! They can't exist, they are just a legend, aren't they?!"

However, the more she stared at that being, the more her certainties crumbled, piece after piece. She could neatly observe it looked similar to a huge weasel swinging its weirdly-shaped tail and wearing a mask on its head. A mask? What kind of weasel wear a mask?, she asked herself, agape, and eventually she lost her balance dragging Itsuki along with her.

"That's not a Kimaitachi," Itsuki, whose arm was still encircling Naomi's waist, muttered without really not knowing what a Kimaitachi was. On the contrary, Naomi did know a lot about mythological creatures as her maternal grandparents had raised her by telling the little girl about traditional japanese stories. Therefore, she could perfectly recall her grandmother telling her about the deep wounds Kimaitachi were able to inflict on their victims' skin: they say those who are bitten by those creatures bleed a lot while not feeling any kind of pain, but there are other legends telling about the whole contrary.

The enormous weasel approached the two girls very slowly, which was weird because kimaitachi were known to be as fast as the wind. Instead, that one wasn't only paying attention to them, but was also constantly focusing on its tail and growling at it.

"W-What is it doing?!," Naomi stuttered, while Itsuki was scrolling a long list on her Digivice. "Indeed, what are you doing, Itsuki?! You're playing during such an intense moment, I can't believe it! We should run away."

The cobalt-haired girl put the Digivice in front of her face, showing her an image featuring a creature that was identical to the one they were facing.

"Reppamon! That's a Reppamon, Nao-Chan. It's a Digimon!"

She should have predicted her friend wouldn't believe her words, since she pointed at the living being, quite indignant.

"Oh no, not you too, please! You know, I have got a friend who's obsessed about that stuff and he's very unbearable. That stuff doesn't exist, this is...This is..."

"It's a Digimon, Nao-Chan, ya have to trust me. I've got one in my arms as well."

"But...It's a toy," She talked back, touching Lunamon and drawing her hand back at the realization it was breathing.

"My Digivice says Reppamon often quarrel with their tales during fights. We're lucky because it's what is happening right now, so I have some minutes to wake Lunamon up. Still, why couldn't my Digivice understand what Digimon it was...?"

Those last words weakly came out of her mouth, before she started massaging her knee, her face got warped in a suffering wince.

"Oh my, I forgot to put ice on it, like Sensei recommended me to do. Now...I've even fallen again..." She struggled to explain, the pain increasing. Sweat had started falling from her forehead, and Naomi was coping with dealing with so many events occurring at once.

"You are-You are in pain," Her orbs were full of concern, and her panick could only increase at the sight of Itsuki pressing her back against the trunk and beginning whimpering. "What should I do?!" She bit her hand, touching Itsuki's knee with caution: perhaps she had to make it assume a specific position to relieve the pain, which was something her coach would do whenever one of her students injured themselves during their training.

"Why are you here, though? You aren't supposed to be skating for a while!" She scolded Itsuki, as she thoughtfully attempted to make the leg stretch, guided by her trembling hands. "You're always so...So reckless," She would have liked to go further and list Itsuki's uncountable flaws that would lead her to so many troubles, but she froze when Lunamon produced a noise that turned into a sort of lament; it sounded like if it was having a nightmare.

Just like me, after all, the almond shaped-eyed girl joked, but there was nothing to joke about: Reppamon shook its head to get rid of the blatant confusion it was feeling and was now snarling at them, its pointed teeth were aimed at Itsuki.

It wants to attack Itsuki!, she realized and uncounsciously put an arm in front of the weak girl's body: that gesture reminded her of the way her chinese classmate had tried defending her.

Why did that creature intend to attack Itsuki, though? Wasn't that a sort of demon that had been sent to punish her?

Reppamon stopped stepping further to sniff the air, bending to sniff the ground too: it kinda seemed like a sort of dog looking for truffles now. Its nose led it closer and closer to the girld, and after some seconds it began growling at Itsuki again, more vehemently.

"Itsuki, we have to run away, now!" She hissed, proceeding to lift the suffering girl, but she was very thin and couldn't even make Itsuki's body roll on its side.

"No..." Her hands flew to her chest that was inflamed by the hatred towards the realization she was hopeless.

Indeed, they were hopeless, and somehow she realized that really was a punishment that had been thrown against her, because there was nothing that could be considered worse than to assist to your friend's upcoming death without being able to protect them.

Nevertheless, suddenly a sort of rain hit them: forecasts did announce it would be raining that afternoon and that was the reason why she had brought an umbrella at school, but that felt more like...

"Hail?" She looked at her hands being slightly cut and starting bleeding. She wasn't startled by that view because the creature that was about to jump onto Itsuki was much more concerning, just like the extremely slender silhouette that was standing before her eyes.

"It isn't effective," She could hear before a golden muzzle turned to her.

"A kitsune?"

The huge masked weasel shook its tail once more, and a strong wind hit the other creature, making it bend. It attacked the newcomer repeatedly until it kneeled.

What should I do? What should I do?! What in the world is happening?! May someone tell me!, She was so puzzled, so astonished: Itsuki had been rescued by a kitsune...That had sacrificed itself, apparently.

Actually, the creature fell on the mud, exhausted, even if she could see it struggling to bring its thin body to stand up. Probably it was a spirit that was responsible for Itsuki's protection...?

Since miracles didn't happen more than once, Naomi was aware that time the enormous weasel was going to succeed in its intents.

Their eyes met for the first time: her big spheres met its feral orbs, blinded by the will to catch its prey. Would she really let such a monster devour Itsuki?

"What if I challenged God?" She muttered, holding Itsuki's sweaty hand to find courage. "Those who challenge God won't lead an easy life, Dad told me that months ago, but this isn't fair even if God is the one who has ordered something or someone to make this happen!"

She didn't feel either fear or regret. She would punish her sins by herself, she would be the one punishing herself and the wrong way she expolited words. Instinctively she grabbed her umbrella. She closed her eyes to look for the determination that had always characterized her personality and she firmly held its handle, aiming it to the beast as if it had been a sword. What was she doing? She didn't know, she was only aware she had to try. After all, everyone had sacrificed themselves to protect her and now it was her turn.

She would have attempted to stick the umbrella in that demon's skin. Didn't her best friend once told her one of those legendary Digimon Tamers used a branch to kill a Digimon?

A Digimon? That's only fantasy! , She mocked herself. I've always told him it all is fiction. God wouldn't really send a Digimon on Earth, would He?

But, come to think of it, He wouldn't send a Kimaitachi either...

The fox quietly yet menacingly approached them, her umbrella's handle was stained with blood and it felt rather sticky under her hands but she didn't care. She was kneeled yet she was ready to act as soon as it was about to pounce on them.

A branch cracked after it had stepped on it, the unpleasant noise pierced her ears as its claws completely destroyed it, leaving the remnants behind.

Come, come, She soothingly repeated in her mind, her hands were attached to the handle as if it was a part of her body.

Come..., she insisted, shaking uncontrollably.

Eventually the weasel leaped and she promptly attacked too, mimicking its actions.

"Don't pick on those who aren't feeling well!" She shouted and another shout blended with hers, while she was going to stick the object into its chest.

Her umbrella didn't hit Reppamon's chest, though. She found herself raising the umbrella in the air, before hitting the ground for the nth time, her umbrella falling and opening in the process.

"You!" Someone yelled in the distance. "You! What have you done to her?"

That melodious voice belonged to a girl she had never met before: she had long magnificent blonde hair falling on her back and a pair of light blue eyes that were staring at her with seriousness. She was followed by other people, among whom she could recognize Makoto Matsuda and the chinese classmate who had been so kind to her that morning. She could spot her best friend too, and she was more than amazed.

"I kinda imagined a smaller furret, you know," Kou sniggered at Ran who was using her lazzo to drag her Digimon far from Naomi. It was tightened around Reppamon's neck and was glowing evidently, sending the Digimon some frail eletrical discharges.

"What are you doing here?!" Naomi spatted at the realization her best friend was truly there among so many strangers. She was still laying on the ground and her arms weee full of bruises, she knew it.

"No, my dear childhood buddy, I should be the one asking you about that! I was just playing a new version of cops and robbers with my new friends! They have got possessed Digimon, isn't it cool, Naomi?"

She heavily sighed, standing up -by refusing his help- and looking down at her dirty skirt.

"I can't believe you're behind this mess..." She shook her head, incredolous, but she soon cracked a shy smile when Yang showed up next to Kou and along with...A red ball of fur.

"A-are y-you ok-okay?!" He stuttered in the worst possible way, noticing she had a cut on her sun-kissed face.

"I'm fine, thank you. The one you should be worried about is Itsuki," She frowned, turning to her friend who was now surrounded by Makoto, Atsuko and another girl she didn't know. There were other little animals along with them as well. Yang had blatantly rushed to Naomi, forgetting about Itsuki. Again. Makoto wouldn't spare him that time.

"Anyway could someone just explain me what I've just seen?!" Naomi finally bursted, her head was spinning and her ears were annoyingly ringing. "Are you really telling me I've just faced a Digimon or is this some kind of joke you're involved in, Kou?!"

Kou and Yang looked at each other, a brief wave of laughters followed.

"You did...And y-you also tried defeating it with an umbrella..."

"No person ever did that. That's a first!"

Seeing Coronamon talking obviously shocked her, and she almost passed out pushing the two boys to catch her from her arms.

"I was being attacked by a Digimon..." She faintly said, and Ran approached her still dragging Chloe with her lazzo.

"Chloe didn't want to attack you, I'm sure about that," Ran grinned, petting her Digimon's fur: it had calmed down thanks to her caresses and words and she had incredibly made the weird halo surrounding the digotal creature disappear. Fortunately, she had intervened in time. "Chloe is still Chloe even though she's become a Reppamon. Sure, the infection might have spread in her body, she might have growled at you, I'm not denying that...But she just wanted something from you two."

Naomi raised an eyebrow at that girl's weird statement and Ran did understand she really didn't know anything about what was happening around her.

"Look what you two were sitting on!" She giggled and bended to grab Naomi's box. Shaking it, she heard the biscuits and their crumbs bounce.

"These are cookies, right? She might have sniffed them from afar. After all, Reppamon have got developed senses."

She opened it and chose one of the few biscuits that were still intact.

"Can I give her one of them?" Ran questioned, even though she had already decided she would do that without Naomi's consent.

"Sure, but why?"

She quickly got her reply. The blonde girl retracted her lazzo into the device she was holding, and the huge Digimon Naomi was still so scared of started becoming smaller and smaller, until it was replaced by a sort of chinchilla.

"Look at what you've got by disobeying me!" Ran put her hands on her hips and picked the little Kyaromon up. "This is what happens to Digimon when they are weak."

"It's cute," Naomi parted from the boys to curiously observe the creature getting upset and tending to the cookie. "It's as cute as the one Itsuki is holding...Oh, that one is adorable too!" She was referring to Renamon who had turned into a little Viximon -but she didn't know that fox was the Renamon that had rescued them, in truth-.

"Every digimon is cute in its own way," Ran chirped and grabbed Naomi's hand, putting the biscuit into it. "There. Give it to Chloe. You have tried killing her with an umbrella, but Ryou always says past is past."

Naomi reached out, slightly gulping, as the only animal she had ever fed was a horse that was in a farm her class had visited during a school trip. She opened her hand and looked away, at the spot in which the other kids had managed to make Itsuki stand up. She was glad.

"Ah! It licked me!" She shrieked when she felt Chloe's tongue wetting her hand.

"See ? She likes you and she likes your biscuits too! I wish she couldn't be so shy in this form: she would tell you about that, believe me. Ryou isn't a great cook, but once he prepared a cake for us and Chloe expressed her enthusiasm with a sea of words."

"Naomi, you're so lucky!" Kou couldn't stay in silence anymore. "I want to feed Chloe, too. Please, Ran! Please!"

"Never in my life. Chloe mustn't get fat."

"Then, what about Coronamon! Let me feed Coronamon, Wen Yang!"

He crouched, showing he never lost heart...Even when Coronamon threatened him to burn his light green sweater.

"Kou has always been made like that," Naomi sighed for the nth time: sighing was one of the few actions she spontaneously did when Kou was around. She kept on petting Chloe's fur, her fingers twitching on their own, begging her to let them touch its fluffy tail.

Yes, she wanted to pet that striped tail so badly, she admitted to herself, and passed her hand through that sort of cloud's fur...Then Chloe licked her again.

"Ah! It did it again! It did it again!" She squealed, shaking her hand in the air to get rid of the Digimon's saliva. "This is...This is..."

"This is certainly not the behaviour you would expect from a princess wielding a sword," Ran shrugged, amused.

There was she again, getting in touch with that different reality and falling in love with it.

XXX

"So we wanted to call our duo The Tear Jumpers Busters," Mihoshi concluded, proudly crossing her arms and glaring at Makoto attempting to steal her cream puff.

"It's my parents' bakery and I can do whatever I want!" He barked in response, but his mother firmly held his wrist to make him apologize.

"Sorry about that, 's truly," She pulled one of his ears since she couldn't keep her anger any longer. "Immature. I'll assure you we can bake as many cream puffs as you want."

Mihoshi's violet orbs shined of happiness and she hugged that woman she had known only for an hour. Ran would have liked to fall through Earth at the sight of Mihoshi behaving like that, and she was certain Ryou would have as well.

"Ran, you're just envious! Furthermore, can you believe she's Makoto's mother? I can't!" She showed her tongue to irritate him even more while Juri could only sniff, moved.

"It's true, I don't know who he's taken after, but I would have never imagined someday he would bring home so many friends. It's so beautiful, I already love these kids."

Her heart was filled with joy while taking into account their bakery was crowded by so many smiling children. Takato could read her thoughts and found her delight contagious.

Still, firstly he had to think about Itsuki: she was lying on a row of chairs waiting for ice to be put on her knee along with Lunamon that was still sleeping. Ruki was chatting with her and some other children, among whom there was Yang who was even afraid of looking at her: Makoto had told him about her short temper so many times.

"Are ya angry at me, Mummy?" Itsuki asked, concerned. After Takato had called the woman, he couldn't keep himself from revealing her she had sounded quite mad on the other end of the call.

"I am, but, if I had been you, I would have done the exact thing and Viximon does know it's true. I'm just so confused about what Renamon has told me about: a Digimon your father and Hypnos couldn't detect...It's so weird, wouldn't you say?"

Takato was so perplexed as well: Guilmon hadn't growled that day, Culumon hadn't panicked either.

Viximon was crouched on Ruki's legs and seemed quite down. Looking up at Naomi, it struggled to find the proper words to use.

"I'm sorry," It managed to mutter. "Even while Reppamon was chasing you and you were trying protecting my Itsuki, I hesitated before attacking it. I was...So afraid."

Naomi cracked a forced smile and blinked: she was hearing the apologizes from a Digimon, a creature she had always thought it didn't exist!

"You're forgiven, I guess," She nervously giggled: how many people, indeed, living beings had she forgiven that day? However she should have apologized to someone else as well, and that someone was aimlessly wandering around the bakery, excited he was in front of the heroes of Shinjuku.

Oh and she shouldn't forget about the chinese boy! She had to thank someone too, after all. She spotted him sitting down next to Makoto Matsuda and quietly munching on a biscuit.

He was one of them: who would have ever imagined such a quiet child had a Digimon? There were so many other aspects of the activities of her peers she had to discover, but it was enough for that day. She just wanted to come back home and forget about everything that had happened for a while.

"Hey," She timidly began, her hands behind her back. He almost suffocated due to the fact the biscuit had gone sideways. She was surprised to find out the biscuits he was tasting were hers.

"A-Ah, I could explain...The Digimon loved these so much, so I- so I...Wanted to try them."

"And what do you think about them?" She sat down next to him, pushing him to avert his gaze.

"They're-They're very good, of course..."

"You're lying, but I can't blame you: my father isn't good at cooking. I think he put too much pistache. Maybe it's a bless they've fallen, right?" She sharply stated and he opened his mouth, so ashamed. She was talking to him and he had already failed! He could finally tell her about how much he had loved her ice skating performance, but he found himself waiting for his face to be totally baked. How had she understood he wasn't appreciating their bitter taste?

"I don't like them either, don't worry, but I'm glad such a kind person tried eating them. So, thank you for everything, for having stood up for me despite the fact Matsuda looks much taller and stronger than you."

She had been so frank, but that was her own way to thank him, even though he choked again, more than ashamed, and grabbed his longish locks to hide his blushing face: her underlining how short he was wasn't so easy for him to swallow. However, the smile she gave him was surprisingly spontaneous and brilliant: she wasn't mocking him.

Naomi didn't deserve so much hatred from Makoto, it was unfair, he concluded in awe. He was about to tell her about the fact he would make Makoto apologize to her, but Ran and Atsuko abruptly showed up behind them.

The light-haired girl wasn't so worried about Naomi discovering about her being a Digimon Tamer anymore. Of course, their friendship was meant to dramatically change, but she thought Naomi would freak out at that realization. It had been so shocking to randomly run into the crew while she was attempting to find Itsuki; it had been even more shocking to find out Naomi had become a Digimon's target, though.

"Yang! You should introduce yourself to her!" Ran pouted, pulling some of his hair to make him show his face . "Don't mind him, Naomi! He's so shy he's been completely petrified by such a long conversation. Look at him, he's certainly not Cinderella's Prince Charming, if you know about that tale. Ryou used to read it to me and Miho when we were smaller!"

She froze at the nth time she had mentioned Ryou. They couldn't stay there any longer! If they wanted Ryou not to find out about what had happened, they would have to reach the Digi-Tear that was still opened somewhere in Shinjuku Park.

"Miho!" She hastily called the shorter girl. "We have to come back home right now!" She pushed Mihoshi's back and began waving her pale hand at the crew.

"So...We have to go now, really! It was a pleasure to collaborate with you two again. The clock is ringing and Cinderella has to come back home!"

"But Ran, let's stay some more time. It won't hurt," Mihoshi tried opposing to her, but Ran was determined to come back home: if Ryou found out about Chloe...She would end up like Clockmon, the girl reminded herself and she would have given her life in order to protect her precious friend.

Nevertheless, looking back, she felt sadness creeping in her soul: those faces that were so full of brightness...She didn't know anything about them, but she was already feeling so attached to them.

Nevertheless, her life was made like that: it was full of sacrifices and pain; there was no room for those joyful kids and people in their existence.

But she wished...

She shook her head and kept on pushing Miho to the door of the bakery.

"Will we see each other again?"

She turned and ended up staring at Naomi's big orbs. If she had been an ordinary girl, probably they would have become great friends starting the following day. She was so certain about that: when Naomi petted Chloe, her heart had beaten faster than usual, even if only for a moment. She felt something taking shape, a new story to write, but that was a tale that would remain in her fantasty forever, she was bitterly aware about that.

"Sure! We'll see each other sooner than you expect," She answered and she did hope that sentence that had made them meet Yang and Makoto again could magically make her wish come true once more.

She held her dark hand and squeezed her tightly; it was a silent promise.

"Next time we'll be sure to come here with Ryou on holiday. No more troubles again," Mihoshi good-naturedly added, looking forward to the next time she would see them again: they would play all together without worrying about hiding their misdeeds from Ryou.

They waved at the crew one more time and rushed out of the bakery, heading for the Shinjuku Park. They were running so fast they didn't notice Ryou standing, his back leaning against a wall of the bakery.

He had been checking them since they arrived at the Matsuda Bakery and he had been able to spot Juri, Takato and...Ruki too; she never seemed to get old unlike Jen, he grinned at himself, considering how much he loved her short haircut.

He was the one getting older and older, instead. He wasn't talking about his appearance, he saw himself as a handsome man and nobody could have denied it -in his opinion, at least-: he was referring to his soul. If he had found himself experiencing that situation ten years before, he would have been staring at Ruki for hours; instead, that afternoon his eyes were irreparably drawn by his...Jewels' silhouettes. He had never seen them smiling so joyfully and having so much fun: it was so endearing, and that sight immediately made him forget about the fact they had escaped from home to do who knows what.

"They wanted to see them again..." He told himself, encircling his body with his arms and gritting his teeth. What a huge trouble he had got in! He wasn't ready to meet the Digimon Tamers after so many years; he had already met Jenrya and it was so hard for him to imagine a reunion.

"Hey, I've disappeared for years but now I've come back along with two adorable girls I'm raising like a single father!" He was already laughing at the thought: who would have ever believed someone like him had embraced such a quiet life.

And what if his diamonds were leading him to a life that was even more ordinary?

Staring at the sunset that was opening the doors to the evening, he smiled at himself and ran to Shinjuku Park as well.

For now he didn't want to think about what the future had in store for them; what mattered the most was getting to their house before they spotted him following them.

"Oh Lord..."

And that was how that full day ended for the Tear Jumpers of Shinjuku: a weird day for sure.

Naomi had got into a world she had never believed it could exist; Kou got in the world he had always dreamed about.

As far as concerns about Jenrya, he had got a peaceful day he had spent sleeping on his swiveling chair, unaware about what had happened..Just like Ryou, after all. Nevertheless, the latter was certain a new page was being added to that story, a page that would start telling about growth.

Middle school had just started and it had already brought so many news along itself. The most important and amazing one was that the following day Makoto apologized to Naomi and confessed to Kou what he had done. Nobody had told him to do that and Atsuko was the one that had got astounded the most.

However, he never got the punch he was expecting to receive and Yang didn't have to try keeping them from destroying each other. On the contrary, Kou friendly threw his soccer ball against his chest.

"Well, even if you hurt Naomi, you've showed yourself to be a honest and loyal person: these are the qualities my friends should have, especially my special friends! You know, I had started telling you once Goto-Kun cheated during a football match and I..."

No, Makoto and Yang weren't ready to turn that page, at all.


End file.
